You and I
by Riyu Shimoji
Summary: Claire and Jill: the maintenance of their farm, friendship, and other relationships while the villagers suspect that something socially unacceptable is going on between them. Claire's POV. Hate crimes, deception, betrayal, complicated unconditional love.
1. Meeting

Flower Bud Village Institute of Higher Education

Autumn 3rd

Claire straddled the bench at the one picnic table settled outside a drab, boxy brick building off the main path, next to the post office. She decided now that this was a disappointment, and all the excitement she had felt over the past few weeks began to dissipate. Tossing her medium-length blond hair behind her shoulders, she slumped and picked up a random stray twig sitting lifelessly on the table.

In the pocket of her blue-and-red plaid dress, she was fingering a thick piece of paper that had been creased so many times, it was on the verge of tearing. This was her class schedule.

_And this_, she thought, _is supposed to be an 'institute'._

She remembered that at least the village was trying. Flower Bud had been experiencing a huge boom lately, with an influx of people from the surrounding rural areas coming to seek jobs. Too many new structures had been built for her to pause and count. Before, the youth's education was taking place in the chapel, as a "parochial school", and now all the new commuters' children flooded and overpopulated the tiny church. Good thing she had graduated and escaped it just in the nick of time. This was the town's problem to solve, and now she was seated outside the humble beginnings of the closest that Flower Bud could actually hope to refer to as a "college".

Within the past two years or so a large clock tower had randomly sprung up in the center of the town while she wasn't watching. It rang softly every hour, on the hour, but it was so muffled with the bustling noises about town that one had to listen for it. It was two minutes after 10:00.

A few nondescript boys, give or take three or so years from her age of sixteen, took turns clearing their throats, looking stiff as they opened the double doors. Most likely they were equally as surprised _that this was it_. She had never recognized them; Claire had lived here all her life, and decided that they, too, must be outsiders. Newcomers. Whatever you wanted to call them. And still no sign of anyone appearing to be an instructor.

However, there were more people taking this course than she imagined there would be. And Claire herself wasn't entirely sure why she had registered for it; she just told herself she was doing it to become closer to her roots, the simple beginnings of Flower Bud before it turned into all of this. She was, in her mind and for her family's pride, preserving a life that she had witnessed but never played an active part in herself.

On a more pleasant note, it was nearly 10:10, and of course this class wasn't going to start on time, but suddenly, with her head pointed down, she heard the sounds of more _distinct_ footsteps. Funny how she could tell someone of character was approaching the school, just by the sounds of a person's tread, just walking on the grass.

It was a girl that appeared to be only a little taller than she, just as lean but noticeably muscular. She was reading the new, shining plastic navy-blue letters that contrasted against the brick of the building, adjusting her ponytail and smacking on chewing gum. She, too, must have thought this was an eyesore. For a moment, her eyebrows lifted and her dark green eyes widened in surprise, but she still stood casually and erect with her hands in the pockets of her trousers.

"Looks like I have the right place," she stated. Claire could see the pink wad moving in her mouth as she chewed.

"Yeah," Claire said shyly, swinging her leg back over the bench so that she was sitting properly. She smoothened the ends of her dress and placed her hands flat and elegantly on her lap. "I don't suppose you're here for…?"

"Ag Science," the other girl said with a nod.

This girl had a face that showed she was a decent person, and thankfully she might be willing to converse a little, but Claire could tell that her personality was far more direct and outward than her own. Her hair was the same brown that reminded Claire of the walnut wooden furniture she had at home, and her ponytail was up high, but she still had lots of stray hair at her ears and the sides of her face. Tomboyish? Perhaps it was too early to tell. Maybe she was at heart a very feminine girl, but lacked consciousness or confidence when it came to her appearance. She was wearing an athletic-style white shirt with red short sleeves, and chocolate corduroy trousers.

"Right," Claire muttered quickly, feeling less embarrassed that she should be an ordinary girl with an ordinary background, for some mysterious reason taking Agricultural Science. Well, it wasn't like this "college" had too much else to offer right now, anyway. She wondered if it was true that she was among the very first batch of students to attend here.

"Fancy that, another girl," the girl mentioned, setting down her knapsack on the bench opposite Claire. With an eager grin, she leaned over and offered Claire her open hand.

"Jill," she introduced herself.

Claire took Jill's hand and shook it, amazed by its warmth. "Claire."

"What brings you here to take Ag Science?" Jill inquired, unzipping something underneath the table.

_Is she wearing a _fanny pack_?!_

"It's complicated," Claire replied, resting her chin in the palm of her hand and staring at the treetop that shaded them. "Mostly because this is the best thing they offer right now. I mean, more Religion? I kind of had enough of that at the parochial school here. Heheh…"

"Well, I wouldn't know about that," Jill said, also looking at the tree, obviously looking for something interesting about it, since Claire was staring at it for so long. "I'm actually not from here. Hey, where's the lunchroom, or cafeteria, or whatever you've got?"

"I don't think there is one."

"Well then. We'll go to the convenience store later, how's that?" Jill gave Claire an extremely light punch on the arm. "I went there the other day and I'm addicted to the ham and cheese sandwiches. I don't know anyone here either."

Claire grinned. Too bad Jill had never known the quality sandwiches and gourmet-style food they used to have in their local bakery, before everything branched out and they got that pesky convenience store.

"Sure. I think it's mostly an introduction today, so we're probably getting out early."

"Good! I'm starving right now, 'cause I normally don't eat breakfast."

Claire quieted her suspicions that Jill didn't come from the type of family she did. Claire had been pampered by her parents and given more food than she needed. She imagined that Jill's parents were probably the busy working type. Or maybe Jill was living on her own now; that seemed to be fashionable with young people here these days.

A light tapping noise came from inside the schoolhouse, and the two girls jumped a little.

"You don't suppose class has started?" Claire said, startled as she picked up her notebook.

"Really, that's it? Just tapping a ruler on a desk?"

"We're late! And I didn't even see the instructor come in yet!"

"Maybe they have a back door. Come on, we've got to go!" Jill seized Claire's hand and began trotting toward the door, dragging Claire along. Now Claire didn't mind the familiarity so much; this meant that now she had a buddy to get into similar pinches and scrapes with. Which definitely beat the heck out of being bored and lonely all semester.


	2. Jill's Brilliant Idea

Flower Bud Village - Small Apartment

Spring 30 - The Next Year

Claire was enjoying the dozens of tiny rainbows dancing around the kitchen that came from the crystal prism she hung at the window. This was a trick her mother had shown her when she was thirteen, and finally some seasons ago she had been able to find one of her own.

Of course, these were reaching the shelves at the mainstream mini-mart, and not so special anymore, but she kept that part quiet. By this point, Jill had already asked her several times about calming her grudge against her hometown's expansion.

Now, in the tiny apartment they shared together, Claire and Jill were seasons into their friendship, and they hadn't done bad for themselves. Claire was perfectly content with their living accommodations; they had all they needed and she appreciated every inch of the space -- the kitchen area connected to the living room with one dining room table and a couch, the clean bathroom, and the tight bedroom they took turns using. Clearly this was meant for just one single bachelor, but together they had made it work.

Claire was just finishing rubbing down a cute, shining white plate with a rag, making sure that it squeaked nicely before reaching overhead to secure it in the cabinet.

"I hope you didn't want any more eggs; I just finished cleaning the plates," she called apologetically over her shoulder. When no response came, she turned around and saw Jill still seated at the table, but bent studiously over the newspaper.

Jill had her tongue thrust in her cheek, deep in thought and occasionally murmuring inaudibly to herself. Her fingertips were playing with the curling edges of the paper, and gradually turning black from the ink smudges. Claire sighed as she realized Jill was still holding her fork, which still had bits of scrambled egg stuck to the end.

"What's going on?" she asked, scanning over pictures of the mayor shaking hands with people and cutting the ribbon for some new establishment.

"There's something kinda peculiar that's caught my attention here," Jill replied slowly, distracted. She scratched her head and pointed her thumb at a tiny box in the corner. "It's a very unusual ad."

"Really! Well?"

"Eh… maybe I shouldn't be looking into it, really. I'm thinking I'm not cut out for this kind of job."

"Another job?" Claire's eyes brightened. It was rare that Jill passed over a good opportunity. That was one thing that Claire had always been able to count on -- Jill knew something great when she spotted one.

"You were just saying you were tired of doing those boring shifts at the library, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but this is something entirely different, believe me. I just don't know though…."

"But what _is_ it?" Claire pulled out a chair carefully, avoiding grating sounds against the floor.

"I'm thinking," Jill started with caution, "about this guy in Forget-Me-Not-Valley, you know where that is?"

"Yeah…?"

"He's living on this old, kinda beaten, run-down farm. And he's wanting a few farm hands to help out and clean up the place, I guess. Okay, maybe not the brightest and best idea, but I'm just saying."

Claire put down the dish rag. Another hair-brained idea of hers.

Last fall when they started school together, Claire and Jill were late for their first class. Jill took a hold of Claire's wrist and tugged at it, and it didn't stop there. They had a lot of fun together, but it was mostly Jill getting ideas and running away with them, getting Claire caught up in some sort of whirlwind. Reflecting on that, it was hard to believe that working at the library was something Jill was willing to settle for. Claire expected Jill to find something that was… actually, to be honest, something sort of like this. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so surprised.

"All the way out in Forget-Me-Not Valley? You would only be able to work there just a few days out of the week, with class and all. Why even consider it?"

Jill grinned from ear-to-ear. "You know how we have to come up with a project some time before the end of the course?"

Claire rolled her eyes. "Don't even remind me of that. You know everyone in class is going to run to the flower shop at the last minute and bring in a little sprout. And unfortunately I haven't thought of anything better than that. What are _you_ wanting to do? Bring in some farm tools?"

"Ehhh… yeah, we could do that. Or, we can kill two birds with one stone here. I see you don't realize what I'm thinking, buddy."

"Apparently not! I'd go out there over a weekend just to bring back a hoe or something and give a demonstration, but…" Her voice trailed off. Claire already had a growing feeling of dread in her stomach.

"Doing this for a while is also a pretty good way to bypass the community service requirement. A little bit of manual labor, while everybody else is taking up the good spots by volunteering at the clinic or whatever, and within a week we can clear it up. Whereas you can volunteer someplace here for a whole month, or more."

"I thought community service hours were community service hours and added up all the same regardless," Claire pointed out, narrowing her eyes. Oh yeah. She was more than ready to reject this idea, but figured she'd go along for the ride and see Jill work her way around it.

"But they've got to take _this_ into consideration. I don't wanna tutor kids for a month. This is at least relevant to class."

Which, Claire couldn't deny, had been treating them well. Agricultural Science had its interesting moments, and it turned out that there was a lot more to it than your average person's basic impression.

"Besides," Jill continued, excitedly, "where's another good chance to put what we've learned to work?"

"What? Theories? Smart shopping? What's actually in animal food? There's no need to preach to an old farmer what he already knows. Watch people in Forget-Me-Not put us to shame."

"Then we can write a report on that kind of thing. What's with that look on your face? Come on! It's not like I'm signing us up to do this for the rest of our lives. I figured like, one season…."

"You're actually serious, aren't you?" Claire burst in exasperation. "You're going far away with this one, Jill, and it's not a very good one this time."

And all the same, Jill kept refusing to be shot down. That wasn't going to help settle matters one bit.

"Then how about this. I'll write to this guy -- Takakura -- and ask for some more information. I'll find out if he hasn't already accepted some strong men, and if not, then more of his terms and qualifications. Which, by the way, he makes no age or gender specifications here in this ad. By the looks of it, he's willing to show us the ropes. No emphasis on experience, either."

"Well, of course not. Nobody farms, at least not right here. But Jill, for goodness' sake, two seventeen-year-old and eighteen-year-old girls?"

"Who _cares_?"

"This is an example of you being too trusting and expecting a bit too much," Claire said, sighing deeply and returning to the sink. She was beginning to wish she'd never challenged Jill on this. The matter should have just been shot down and dropped, and Jill would get over it, and forget about it completely by the time something new came around. She hoped it wasn't too late.

"What's the point of taking Ag Science if it's not something you're gonna use," Jill muttered under her breath, dog-earring the page and slumping in her chair, arms folded. Discouraged though she may have appeared from across the room, it was obvious that she still wasn't giving up anytime soon.

"I'm not understanding why farming excites you," Claire said, standing with her hands on her hips and staring at the ceiling. "But if you absolutely must, then go ahead and write to that guy. But you're going to have to take his word as the final answer, whether it's the one you want or not. Can we agree to that?"

"Yeeeess," Jill said in a honeyed voice, jumping out of her chair with her eyes sparkling and an adorable child's smile on her face. "Thaaaaank you, Claaaaire. I looooove youuuuu!"

"I know." Claire grinned back at her hesitantly. Going to the store around the corner to buy vegetable seeds for their project was looking like a far better idea already.


	3. Farming Sucks

Forget-Me-Not Valley

Summer 15th

"Say, this is just as fancy and wonderful as our apartment back home," Claire said sarcastically, gritting her teeth. She sat on the wooden floor that she had just finished sweeping, staring sadly into the TV set that offered not much more than the weather report. "I mean, why didn't I even think of this before?"

"Oh, come off it, Claire." Jill sat on the cleaning bucket turned upside down, taking gigantic gulps of water from her sports bottle. "It was really nice of old Takakura to at least give us the bedding. And we don't even have to pay the rent."

It had been only about three hours since they'd arrived in this small neck of the woods. Claire was dragging two suitcases and one oversized backpack during the hike, and Jill had only her knapsack she first brought to class last year, plus a stick to carry over her shoulder with a bundled wrap just for added effect. The older brunette had been too enthusiastic about this, keeping a crinkled old map in the pocket of her cargo pants and pointing out all the spots they had seen on the way to the farm.

Claire only took great notice of a few strangers who stopped in their tracks upon seeing them. Even fewer of those few villagers actually smiled, and they did a horrible job of what they thought was inconspicuous whispering. Here, people of all ages seemed to mingle. She saw two young women in their age group walking together on a path, followed by old ladies, a little boy, and all manner of townsfolk in between.

Of course, Claire had experienced living in a close-knit community when Flower Bud took its first baby steps in developing from a farm village, but this place almost seemed to be a step backwards. As a child, she knew of newcomers only within the first season of their arrival. Mother would say something at the dinner table, sometimes putting a name to a new face, sometimes wondering what a new family would like to receive, a pie or a friend to escort them to the market. Just five minutes only, and life went on. Claire had never known of anyone gossiping in Flower Bud.

Today Jill reminded her friend of any random kid Claire had gone to parochial school with. The pastor would always ask, "Does anybody have any questions?" right at the end of the day, and one dumb kid would always raise his hand and say something equally as dumb, when Claire was dying to go home. This was what Jill was doing with Takakura for the first twenty minutes after their arrival. Really, of course it was logical, but Claire was sweating and carrying her weight in belongings, some old, and some recently bought that were coarse, unstylish, and rugged just for farm life.

"Are you ready to go back out and get a better look around?" Jill proposed.

Not that Claire really had a choice. This was turning out to be just like the worst game of Follow the Leader _ever_.

Jill began by leading her around the perimeter of the estate. Surprisingly it didn't seem like too much for just a few people to manage. Claire held back a comment about running a "petite" farm, at the risk of sounding stupid, but that was the only word she could come up with. It was small, but choked by weeds, stumps, and sharp rocks. It looked like an abandoned construction site that turned into a wild field. Furthermore, Claire feared the onset of an allergy attack.

"What are we going to _do_ about all of this?" Claire asked out loud.

"Well, let's get started. I'll show you a little bit about clearing the area. Soon enough we'll find out what the soil is like, and then we can get cracking on harvesting delicious summer fruit."

_Uh-oh_.

"Take this hammer," Jill instructed her, hands on hips after passing Claire a huge foreign object.

"Owww. My arms hurt," Claire whined, the heavy rounded end dragging in the dirt as the summer heat came down harder on her shoulders. Straining painfully to lift it up again, Claire thought that her arms would pop off and she'd leave them behind with the hammer. "Seriously, you could _kill_ somebody with this!"

"You're not even trying," Jill said, sighing in exasperation and narrowing her eyes. "When you bring it up, try to get it over your head, but aim first. Then bring it crashing down hard over this boulder, I guess."

"But what _for_? There's plenty of farming space if we just ignore the rocks."

"Break them down and you can sell it for construction, or put the pieces to use later. We're not just growing crops here. Don't you wanna have a barn? Didn't you like petting the animals in Ag Science?"

"I know! How about making a rock garden with all this?"

"Fine. You can push the boulders into whatever shape you want."

"…Never mind. YAHHHH!" Claire staggered, her balance thrown off by this huge hammer, and finally it made contact with the stone boulder in a deafening CRACK! She and Jill bent over the boulder in fascination, staring with eyes wide open.

"It didn't do anything!" Claire complained. "It just got an ugly uneven crack in it!"

"Sometimes it just takes more than one swing," Jill told her, as if it was the easiest thing in the world. She seemed like she wasn't even paying attention. Her eyes were still scanning the whole land area, her mind probably calculating how to make Claire kill herself just to look at wide open space.

"Tell you what. You work on that for awhile, and I'll be right back," she said.

"WHAT?!" Claire cried. "You're leaving me _alone_? To do _this_? That's going to take all day! And what the hell are _you_ doing that's so important?"

Jill patted Claire on the head and made a playful but condescending smirk. "You play nice and be a good girl, and I'll come back with a yummy rice ball for you, okay?"

"I can just as easily go find the store! Come _on_, Jill!"

"You'll be fine. There's a dog sniffing around over there and I'm wondering if it's Takakura's. I'm sure he would have introduced us if he had a dog…."

"Oh, that's just great, Jill. Really, it is. You go off and play with the dog, while I make _your_ dreams come true and blister up _my_ hands!"

"I'm just kidding. Let's think of it as a way for you to build character. Besides, _I'm_ the oldest, and I don't trust you with the axe. I'll go over there and take care of the stumps."

"We don't need _firewood _in the summer!"

"… God, you're dumb."

"Don't leave me all alone!"

"The world isn't such a scary place without me," Jill said, looking back over her shoulder as she pulled the axe out of her bag. Claire had a dark feeling come over her just then. What would she do in this backwards place if something happened to Jill? Or worse, if Jill became lazy and left all the dirty work to her?

Well, that wasn't going to happen. Claire pursed her lips smugly, wiping the sweat from her brow and picking the hammer up again. She decided that come what may, Jill was either going to help her make their lives better somehow, or else share in her misery.


	4. The Blue Bar

Summer 16th

"I. HATE. THIS." Claire hissed, stomping angrily as, once again, she was being dragged by Jill. Always, always, always she got stuck in this type of situation. Sure, it had been nice to take the backseat over the past year and let her make all the big decisions, but this sucked.

Up until today there had been only just one past moment when Jill got Claire into something that made her swear she was going to _feel_ it in the morning. That was the time they were representing the Agricultural Science department in the marathon in Flower Bud, among only less than twenty college students overall. Jill said this was a good idea for the possibility of extra credit points, and to show the town that Agricultural Science was important enough for two young girls to take the class.

"The other guys in class are too scrawny, nerdy, and asthmatic for something like this," Jill had pointed out, nudging Claire in the elbow as if seeking backup for the most brilliant idea yet.

_Yeah, but she never thinks about me, does she? Maybe I have asthma too!_

She did indeed feel it in the morning; one, the crushing defeat and failure, and two, a blunt ache and stiffness in the legs that had carried over well into the next week. From that day on, Claire chose to remain as far away from the track as possible, even during the festivals.

But now Claire had no access to aspirin whatsoever. For crying out loud, Jill had been buying daily necessities over the _phone_ and waiting for hours for the delivery. And that Karen girl from the supermarket had no sympathy at all. Freakin' country bumpkin.

"Yeah, and I'm sure trudging along like an elephant is _definitely_ going to help with your soreness," Jill nagged, walking normally in her casual stride, seeming completely painless. Claire wanted to extend her leg and cause Jill to face-plant, but she knew she wouldn't be able to withstand the pain long enough to do it. Jill only stretched her arms over her head and sighed as if totally refreshed.

"Stretching exercises. I know I mentioned that to you earlier," Jill continued.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That did me a lot of good back at that stupid marathon, remember?"

Claire almost crashed into her friend as Jill made a sharp right turn, concentrating on a rustic little house with bright yellow light pouring out of the windows. She didn't know why Jill wanted to be out in town at this hour. The chirping was beginning to creep her out. There were bugs! What if there were wolves, too?

"What the hell are we _doing_ anyway?"

Jill came to a stop, the paddling sounds of her ugly leather shoes on the stone path resonating its last few echoes in the night. The taller girl brought a gloved hand to Claire's face, looking into her eyes and relaxing her face into a soft, gentle and compassionate smile. Claire thought her glove smelled like mud.

"I'm going to cheer you up and reward you, after doing such a good job. I've never seen you bust your ass like that before, and I only had to bark at you twice today!"

"Hmph." Claire folded her arms and scowled.

"Welcome," Jill said with spirit, pushing open the wooden door to this mysterious house, "to the Blue Bar." She put her hand on Claire's back and brought the girl in with a strong shove.

Claire's eyes burned from the bright light, but she could hear tinkering noises of glasses, and the shuffle of bottles moving across table-tops. The air smelled sharply of clean clothes, fruity syrups, money, and old wooden furniture. Voices hushed and fell silent.

"A _bar_? Jill! What's the legal drinking age here? Alcohol is _bad_! I don't wanna witness a bar fight! Let's just --"

"Hey hey _hey_!" rang out a cheerful middle-aged male voice. Claire noticed that the bar was devoid of people except for some hairy country man and a blond woman who stood next to him who stood with her back turned to them. The odd pair stood behind the counter, the man pouring out some liquor into a glass, the woman… Claire couldn't see what she was doing. "Welcome to the Blue Bar!"

"Thanks," Claire and Jill answered in unison. Jill seized Claire by the painful, soft spots on her wrist and dragged her to the counter, sweeping out two high stools with her ankle.

"Come in and have yourselves a good time. I'm Griffin," the scruffy man said, smiling underneath a big but tamed brown mustache. Claire couldn't help noticing that Griffin had a very large triangular nose. The crown of his head was a thick tuft of chestnut hair that swept up like an ocean wave, and he had a medium-length ponytail swaying freely at his back. His defined chin may have been clean-shaven earlier this week, but stubble was coming in very thick now.

"See, see? That's them! The ones I told you about!" the blond woman whispered loudly and excitedly, tugging on the long sleeve of Griffin's crisp, stylish shirt. She pointed at the girls with a long manicured pink fingernail.

Then she turned around, revealing lively mint-green eyes and a mouth painted with heavy, daring-colored lipstick. Her hair was a mass of pure yellow waves and curls, pushed back a little with a black headband. She wore a mini blue sweater over a low-cut red dress that made Claire uncomfortable. Claire stiffened in her seat, trying to avoid staring at this woman's generous cleavage.

"I'm Muffy!" the woman announced, reaching out and touching Jill's hand. Claire stared on in amazement as Jill appeared totally cool. Since when was Jill such a hot and wild bar girl?

"Hey, I'm Jill, and this is my friend Claire. We arrived here yesterday on Takakura's farm, and tonight we're just taking a break for the first time, I guess." Claire figured she'd let Jill do all the talking.

"Sounds cool," Griffin said with a nod. "Forget-Me-Not Valley doesn't offer that much, but we do what we can. And if you don't mind me saying, the Blue Bar is the townfolks' favorite place to relax."

"I like," Jill said, shaking Griffin's large slender hand. "I'm trying to get my friend here to lighten up a little."

"Nothing wrong with that." Griffin turned to Claire. "So, how 'bout it? You like it fruity and sweet, or strong and fiery? I can make anything that suits your taste, little lady." He winked.

Claire locked up, keeping her hands between her knees and hunching her shoulders, her head pointed down. Her eyes shifted over to Muffy and Jill, who already seemed to have enough to make small talk and smile about.

"I--I don't drink," Claire stammered, hating the man's open stare at her face. "At least I never have…. I don't mean to be rude!" she said suddenly, not wanting to hurt Griffin's feelings. "I'm sure you're good at--at this. I'm just a little…"

"Hey, no worries," Griffin said, warmly and sincerely. "Lots of kids your age have had their first drink here, and turns out there's nothing to be afraid of." He reached out his hand and curled it around Claire's shoulder, making her flinch a little. Then, embarrassed, he retracted it and hastened to wipe down a glass.

"Take your time," he continued, quieter this time. "If you're shy, that's all right. You can take a look at our menu if you want, or I can make something sweet that Muffy really likes, without the alcohol."

Claire saw Jill emptying a shot glass that contained something brown. It made beads of sweat emerge at the brunette's hairline. Muffy smiled and touched Jill's hair as she undid her ponytail and let her hair fall around her shoulders. Jill grinned happily as she continued to chatter with the strange woman. Goodness knows what business Jill had talking to someone so much more feminine than her. Never in a million years would Claire imagine her having a lot of common ground with a woman who was clearly obsessed with her looks.

"Well," Claire started bravely, "what's your favorite?"

"_My_ favorite?" Griffin repeated, surprised. "Hmm, let's see. As hot as it's been this week, I would recommend to you a Summer Heat. It's a bit of a tropical splash with not too much of a burn going down. It's cool, refreshing and icy, and it's kind of like your standard mixed party punch." He began to look confused and worried, as though he didn't know how to explain this to someone so naïve. "Only if you're feeling up to it, though."

Claire stared in wonder at this colorful drink that he had only taken seconds to make. He had walked to the far end of the counter where Muffy was standing, turned around and shot it across to her in a very stylish manner. She wondered what other cool skills people knew around here, with little to do but a great deal of time on their hands.

She sniffed the contents of her glass, but marveled the mix of colors that danced in it. The stripes of pink, blue, yellow, and green looked amazing. Griffin stopped her only to drop in a toothpick umbrella, making her laugh. The three of them watched as Claire took a pretty big swallow. Her face contorted in disgust, her whole mouth burning with what tasted like a mix of cleaning solution, nail polish remover, and ant spray. Immediately she thought of her mother, warning her at three years old not to touch the funny bottles underneath the sink.

Griffin winced in regret, Jill gaped at her in shock, and Muffy turned her red lips downward into a sympathetic frown. Claire felt as though her face had gone numb; either that or her disgusted frog face permanently froze like that. She didn't get it at all. How could something that smelled like fresh mango taste so awful?

"Aw, sweetie, I should have said something," Muffy said. "Of course it'll taste like that the very first time, but by the time you finish your first glass, you won't notice it at all."

Jill reached over and fanned Claire's face with a napkin. "You all right? You gonna puke?"

"I feel like my face is on fire," Claire half-whispered, in slight horror of seeing three empty glasses lined up in front of Jill. Muffy herself had emptied two tall glasses with cherry and pineapple skewers inside.

"Oh no. I should have known this was a bad idea; maybe this is too much for you--"

"I kinda like it." Once the bitterness had worn away, Claire thought she had tasted faint hints of coconut, mango, orange, and other sweet and tangy flavors. She raised her hand to her face, puffing into it twice, and smelled sweet tropical pink lemonade on her breath. "I'm kinda picking up that, uh, fruity taste."

Muffy grinned in relief and dramatically touched her hand to her chest.

"What's in this stuff?" Claire asked.

"Now, if I told you that, that'd be revealing a secret," Griffin said, his courage back. "Trust me. I've studied and experimented with this for years. It's not gonna hurt you. But you definitely gave me a scare just then. Heheheheh."

"I'll drink it," she assured him, swinging and dangling her legs and concentrating on finishing her glass.

It didn't take long before Claire decided that Griffin was harmless and really nice, even if he was catering to a child. Heck, Muffy was starting to seem like a really fun person too. Only, curiously, the ceiling seemed to be moving a little, and Claire didn't remember seeing a fan up there when she walked in.

"I have one, two, three, four umbrellas!" Claire exclaimed triumphantly, lining up her paper and toothpick umbrellas according to the order in the colors of the rainbow.

"Yes, yes, you do," Griffin told her, smiling nervously. "Too bad the forecast doesn't mention rain coming in anytime soon. Heheheheh…."

"Claire, you're starting to annoy everybody," Jill told her, eyeing Griffin apologetically. "We should get going soon. Tomorrow we're going to visit another farm not far from here to buy seeds, remember?"

"I've never seen a girl her age and her size take down four Summer Heats like that before," Muffy said to Griffin, putting down her hand of playing cards and briefly turning away from her game with Jill. "Have you?"

"Only once or twice since I've been in the business," Griffin admitted. "At least she seems to be having a good time… for now."

"It's okay. I know where we live. I'm just going to finish my fifth one, stretch a little bit, and then I'll meet you back at the house. Okay?" Claire sat up attentively, wanting to look very focused. Jill's face seemed rounder, brighter, and more striking than usual. When her facial expression changed, it seemed to happen in slow motion.

"Okay," Jill said hesitantly, rubbing her palm in Claire's hair. "Maybe this is what you needed. If you're sure you're going to be fine, I'll head out and keep the light on in the house for you."

"Bye-bye!"

Claire picked up her blue umbrella and twirled it around in her mouth, seeing the door swing open again just as soon as it closed behind Jill. In walked a man carrying an awkward-shaped guitar that covered most of his body, and he wore a large imposing green hat.

"Nice witch hat," Claire said to Griffin and Muffy, pointing at him with her thumb. She saw a white daisy bobbing up and down on the man's hat as he walked in and sat on the stool beside Claire.

"Looks like someone's sitting very close to my spot. Do I get new company today?" He said teasingly, setting his instrument next to him and giving an acknowledging nod to the employees.

"Good evening, Gustafa," Griffin said.

This Gustafa stroked his thick, reddish brown beard and peered at Claire curiously through a pair of round, shining black sunglasses. His big, open smile revealed large white teeth, and he smelled curiously of pine.

"A water to start off with, please," Gustafa said, clearing his throat.

"Will you sing us a new song, Gustafa? We've been needing some more music in here," Muffy said, wiping down the counter and taking away Jill's empty shot glasses.

"I sat by the pond today and wrote a little something about a pretty girl standing and looking at the lily pads underneath the moon," he happily reported, a dreamlike haze on his relaxed face.

"Bet we know who _that _was," Griffin said, nudging Gustafa's arm and winking.

"Is it Jill?" Claire burst excitedly.

"Why, who's Jill?" Gustafa asked, puzzled.

"Jill's my friend and we just moved to the ugly farm."

"The Ugly Farm?"

"Well, it won't be so ugly once we get finished really soon. I broke up some rocks and cut up the weeds, but that's no fun," Claire babbled, watching Gustafa's circular lenses swell up and shrink back down again. Every time somebody moved or spoke, it felt like fast, sudden movements were taking place and Claire was missing out on some sort of action.

"I guess not. But I'm glad you're here taking it easy. Jill sounds like someone I'd like to meet, and I'm glad to meet you too," Gustafa said, picking up his rectangular box of a guitar and tuning it delicately. "What's your name?"

"I'm Claire."

"Well, Claire, since you're a friendly new guest and brand-new friend of mine, I'll change the lyrics a little bit and sing a little song about a girl named Claire by the pond. How's that?"

Griffin and Muffy took turns watching Claire and Gustafa, the blonde paying the musician enthusiastic attention as though she had never heard music before. She began to catch on to the pattern of the lyrics in three of his songs, and started to sing with him. Gustafa gradually relaxed, taking the daisy from his hat and arranging it neatly in Claire's smooth hair. Claire had never had this much fun before.


	5. Claire's First Hangover

Summer 17th

"Oh. Oh GOD. OH GOD!" Claire moaned, clamping her palm down tightly over her forehead as it burst in sharp pain. Her eyes hurt as well as she glimpsed over to notice that her watch pointed to eleven a.m. She felt as though the dog had been sitting on her face throughout the night, and that it was still standing on her eyeballs.

"I see you're conscious again," Jill said, walking over to her with her arms crossed, a reproving look on her broad face. Claire could tell that Jill had been up for hours already, the old blunt axe hanging from her sturdy belt loop.

Sunlight brutally screened half of the room, and Claire was seeing orange spots underneath her eyelids. It was as if she'd been beaten with a titanium baseball bat on multiple areas of her head. Something smelled sour and sickening, and she felt like air was moving through a big gaping hole where her stomach should have been.

"What the freaking hell. And what is this _shit_ in my hair?" she asked, pulling out toothpick umbrellas that were poking her head, and a crushed white flower. "Is this some form of a joke?"

Jill angrily opened her mouth to answer, but turned to respond to a soft knocking at the door.

"Hey." Claire heard Griffin's voice. "How's she doing?"

Jill folded her arms and leaned against the doorway. "She's still alive. In agonizing pain of course, but she's going to make it. Let's just say she's not going to have a very good day."

"Oh. I'm sorry. We all kind of expected it, though. I just came to see if she was all right."

"We appreciate that."

_Go away_, Claire thought. _I'm so sick of this stupid farm and your stupid bar, and your stupid mustache._

"I made this. It won't make the headaches disappear like magic, but gradually it'll help. Just tell her to sip it throughout the day, but remind her that she also needs to eat a little."

Claire's stomach rumbled. Griffin was right. She lifted her head from the pillow and strained to see if she could take a look at his face. Was he angry, or embarrassed?

"Thanks a bunch, man. Ugh. I do not envy her for having to drink this."

"Hey, come on, don't make that face. I've taken it a couple times in my life, and I have to make it for Muffy's hangovers more often than you think. Nothing to be ashamed about. All the young folks experience this. She seemed pretty happy last night though."

_What the hell did I do last night?!_

"I can't really thank you enough. You didn't have to come all the way over here, especially after the fiasco this morning."

"It's no problem at all. I work until really late, but I still love my breakfast in the morning. Anyway, so we just wanted to make sure she's okay, and Gustafa too. He says hi."

"Gustafa?"

"Oh, he's a frequent customer. Really nice. Claire met him last night. Don't worry, he likes her. Those two had a blast up until she left."

"All right, then. Well, if you ever need a favor in the future, I really hope you come to us first," Jill said sincerely, bowing her head slightly and smiling before closing the door.

"Jill… I don't feel good. And I'm scared."

Jill came to the bed and sat on the edge, holding a glass of what looked like red mud and herbs. Claire felt grateful, for Jill's position temporarily blocked out the cruel sun in her eyes.

"I suppose you know who that was," she said coldly, offering her the drink. "He made this for you, and I'm going to get you some food to go along with it."

"I don't know if I can eat!"

"You'd better. About an hour ago you fixed yourself a glass of water, then you went running out in the yard to throw it all up."

"Ewwwww!"

"I know, eww! But you know what? You did this to yourself, genius. At about one this morning I almost thought about going to sleep, but then Griffin came by and dragged your dumb ass back here drunk out of your mind. And now you look like hell. Nice going. That drink is going to taste like ass, and I'm going to watch you drink the whole thing today."

Claire grimaced, wiping her mouth. "I can _almost_ pretend it's a chocolate shake, even though you're right -- it does taste like crap."

Jill fell silent for a few moments, at a loss for what to say. Claire could tell that there was something on her mind, but instead she just looked at the pattern on the thin summer quilt. This wasn't like Jill at all. Maybe it was just the shadows fading in and out of the room, but she looked sad.

"Heard you had a good time though. That's nice. I _am_ worried about you, Claire, but I'm not going to ask questions about what happened between you and Gustafa last night."

"What do you _mean_?" Claire demanded, sitting upright and almost spilling her medicine.

"Griffin said you two 'had a blast' last night. I know we're good friends and all, but this is business I don't feel right poking into."

Claire held her glass between her knees and firmly grasped Jill's hands. Her friend still wouldn't look at her face.

"Listen. Gustafa came in to play music, and I just liked it, that's all. At least that's all I can remember. The room was spinning at that point. I don't remember what happened after I learned how to sing some of his songs."

Claire struggled to remember the catchy melodies and vibrant lyrics she had enjoyed so much, but nothing came to mind. She knew they were singing together, and that Gustafa had a really pleasant singing voice, but inability to recall the details now both saddened and frightened her at the same time. They all must have thought that she was a major freak, or at least a huge dork.

"Are you that mad at me?" she asked. "At least look at me."

Jill finally chuckled, ruffling her hair as she often liked to do. "No, I'm not mad." She curled her hand over Claire's knee, grinning a little. "But hey, congratulations on your first hangover, kid. If you're anything like me or the rest of us fun-loving people, it'll probably be the first of many."

"Don't say that," Claire said after another swig of her thick, lumpy shake. "If this is what happens I don't think I'll ever want to drink again."

"You can't have that kind of attitude after just one bad time. Cheer up. If I can get over it, then so can you. Besides, I still need you to come with me on that errand today."

"Aww, really? I don't wanna go out to face people again. I'm sure the whole town knows. Can't I just go out to work in the field today, once I'm feeling better?"

"To do what?" Jill smiled excitedly. "We're done clearing the field."

"We are? Wow!"

"Yeah, I know, right? You did a good job. All we're going to do today is buy seeds, I promise. If you're willing to do a little watering every day, then I'll be making you grilled corn in no time."

"Mmm… grilled corn."

"Yup. Now you just focus on feeling better. I'll get you a cold damp cloth." Jill leaned over, placed her hands on Claire's shoulders, and kissed her forehead gently. Claire began to feel more cheerful, and set her glass on the side table. She shut her heavy, aching eyelids and fell back onto the pillow as Jill drew the curtains closed. Now it was nice, dark, and cool. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.


	6. Claire Meets Marlin

Summer 17th - Late Afternoon

Claire absentmindedly followed Jill down the crossroads, feeling lightheaded and trying to figure out what time it was. Her recovery period went quite well, a long series of twenty- to thirty-minute naps. Never would she have believed that she could feel this refreshed after the way she felt this morning. Just remembering the anguish made her queasy all over again. Try though she might to concentrate on the task at hand, there was nothing exciting, or even distracting, about going to buy seeds.

"So I actually went to the Inn next door before I went home last night," Jill chattered to break the silence, "and you'll be surprised to find that it's just as much a hangout as the Blue Bar. The pony-tailed youth kept patting a fat bulge in her pocket. So far all their earnings were being folded up and tucked into a stupid old _sock_. Claire kept wanting to ask: _Just because we're living on a farm now, does it mean we have to be primitive and uneducated country bumpkins? Geez…._

"And the lady who's running the place is soooo nice! People who don't want to come to the bar just come to the inn, you see, and they're totally only there to just chat. And this lady, Ruby I think, laid out this enormous platter of crackers and cheese and lunch meat…. Man, you just don't know what you missed!"

"Mmn," Claire murmured.

"Hey, while you're out getting wasted and flirting with guys, I'm making friends too, ya know…. What's wrong? You're not talking much."

"I just feel funny, that's all." Claire finally managed to look at something other than her own feet, and lifted her head to take in the sight of an expansive field, bordered by beautifully painted fencing, lined with pristine rows of colorful vegetables. Corn and tomatoes. Her salivary glands burst inside all parts of her mouth, and she longed for delicious home-style cooking. She regretted not eating anything more than saltine crackers all day.

"Aw, dammit--"

"No, no, I said I'd go with you today and I'm going to have to hold up my end of the deal," she resigned, but not without sighing. It didn't take too long before Claire had to learn her lessons. "Get a look at those veggies. Doesn't it make you want stew right about now?"

"Yeah, it does. But the stew that _we're_ going to have is hard-earned stew only. First we have to start out small and work our way up to a field like that. And most of our stuff is going to be sold first, because I'm sick of hiking and foraging for wild plants."

"So that means it's going to be _how_ long before we get to eat real food?" Claire asked, scanning the field once more to find a very plain, simple-looking girl with long chocolate-hued hair. She was bending over a row of corn just then, smiling and inspecting. In Claire's mind there was no possibility of loving crops _that much_ unless the girl was hungry and planning a big dinner… and perhaps wouldn't mind inviting a particular cute blonde who was very, very nice to her….

Two small wooden cottages sat to the left of the path, and the girls watched the plain harvester enter the first one. Jill wordlessly signaled that this must be the right place, and she waited until the girl was inside before following.

"Yoo-hoo…." Jill called gently as the door creaked open. Two smiling faces and one expressionless one stared back at her, before Claire looked over Jill's shoulder and saw the plain girl standing next to a very large woman with wavy, bright reddish hair. In the corner stood a brooding young man with a mass black curls, a very annoying one hanging over his forehead. The three people stood around a large table, on which Claire saw a calculator, a large spiral-bound notebook, a cash box, and a massive cardboard box.

"Come in, come in," said the big woman, looking confused. "Can I help you?"

"I remember being told that your vegetables are firm, fresh, and the best-tasting ever," Jill said nervously, putting on a big smile. "I've come hoping I can get started growing some of my own, if you're willing to give me some tips."

The woman had a huge, hearty smile. Claire doubted there was anything about this woman that _wasn't_ huge. At least she could guess that someone shared her passion for eating.

"Well, of course!" she exclaimed joyfully. "Business has been so slow this week." The woman stood up from her chair, her robust body mass jumping slightly. "I'm Vesta, and you've certainly come to the right place. You can't be the ones who answered crazy Takakura's ad, are you?"

"I'm afraid so," Jill admitted, bracing herself for unwanted commentary. Truly, Vesta's powerful voice was just as booming as the rest of her overall appearance.

"Hahah! He told me that he got a reply. I don't know how he did it, but I'm sorry ya got reeled in! Come now, don't be shy, take a look around and let me know what catches your eye."

"Okay, well, I'm Jill, and this is my friend Claire." She swung an arm around Claire's shoulders and yanked her forward. Claire hoped like all hell that these same overalls she wore yesterday didn't smell like vomit, booze, or anything else. That stray dog they found was jumpy and demanded physical affection, and now it looked like Jill wanted to take in that creepy black cat too.

"Hi." Vesta fluttered her large, sausage-like fingers at the smaller girl in a friendly wave.

Jill cleared her throat. "Well, uh," she stammered, "we noticed the awesome-looking field you've got over there, and I thought that first you might talk with me about that. If that's all right."

"She looks strong and she's got enthusiasm." Vesta nodded firmly at the plain girl and the man with the weird hair. "Celia, how about you come with me and show her what kind of work you've done this afternoon."

This said Celia came forward, but not without removing soil-covered gloves. Her smile was bright and honest, and her eyes were large and expressive. Claire had the feeling that she was probably very sweet, and indeed the muscles in Jill's face softened when she saw her.

"It's very nice to meet you both," Celia said before passing through the door again. Vesta thumped Jill on the back before leading her out as well.

Claire felt alarmed. That went by way too fast for her brain to process, and it seemed all too easy that she would be left alone with this mysterious guy. She had never seen tumbling curls like that on a guy before, but overall he wasn't bad-looking. He was fairly tall, though of course most men were by comparison to her own stature, and he was decently dressed with a crisp white shirt, jeans, and unscuffed black boots. Claire had always been attracted to unusual people, and this guy had a unique-shaped face: sharp but delicate, curved but angled, with pronounced cheekbones. Quickly she looked everywhere else around the shop; he seemed to have the physiognomy of someone who didn't like being stared at.

"Um… hi," she finally said to him. "I'm Claire."

"I know your name. I heard your friend talking to my sister." His voice was calm and quiet, and very deep. The man appeared to be young enough, but his mature voice made his age very difficult to place.

Claire stood in silence, then moved on to looking around again. Clearly, for some reason, he didn't like her. She wondered fearfully what the reason could possibly be. He didn't even want to share his name, and now he was the one looking at her this time. Suddenly she became too nervous even to look at the contents of the cardboard box.

"I'm Marlin," he finally said, leaning with his foot against the wall and his hands inside the pockets of his jeans, which Claire noticed fit his long legs perfectly. Marlin was thin but not frail, the exact lean, in-between look that wasn't built nor pansy-like. He had _shape_. And that was good enough for Claire to decide that he was attractive.

"And you can look inside that box. It's not like there's an animal in there that'll bite you."

"Oh, well, I think I'll wait for Jill to come back. I think she knows what to buy better than I do."

"Suit yourself." Marlin looked only at the floor.

This was the part where Claire waited for chirping crickets. Too bad that only happened on the TV programs she dearly missed watching, and not in real life. So, she tried thinking about Marlin without looking at him, going over the details she had seen in his face over the few seconds she was given. She could definitely see the resemblance between Vesta and Marlin, mostly in the shape of their burly eyebrows. His eyes were almost the same color as Jill's, but perhaps with a bit more gray in them. Perhaps it was the same color as the ocean during a violent storm. Claire thought herself ridiculous, wondering what Marlin would think if he was magically able to hear her thoughts about him just now.

"So… um…." What on earth could she possibly ask? _Hey, who do you think is hotter -- me, or Jill? … Do you wanna go to the bar with me sometime? Things get a lot more exciting when I'm drunk! … What's your favorite color?… So, is the farm life retarded or what?_

"Just say it."

"What's your favorite food?" Claire blurted, then she clasped both hands over her mouth.

Marlin raised his eyebrows. Was it humanly possible that he'd never been asked this question before? Did he have a personality? Or did he just not eat? That must be why he was so skinny.

"My--my favorite _food_? Is that what you asked?"

"I'm sorry, I just -- I'm getting a little hungry and I saw your veggies outside and I was thinking of stew and I wanted something to say and I--"

Marlin laughed. Or at least pretended to. It was hard to tell. That could have been a light chuckle, faked for pleasantness' sake, or maybe he did genuinely think it was funny. Claire fantasized about sinking deep into the ocean, arms and legs wrapped tight like in a ball. Why was Jill outside still?

"I guess I like curry."

"Now, there's a start," Claire thought out loud. "Cool. I like curry a little bit, though I've only tried it a couple of times. That must be hard to make!"

"The only hard part is getting all the ingredients together, I guess. It's kind of expensive even to make it at home." Marlin shrugged, waiting for the next question.

"You cook?"

"Not much."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Jill normally cooks for me, except for breakfast. Up until recently she hasn't ever been much of a morning person."

"Hmm."

"How early do you have to get up in the morning?"

"Then I'll take both corn and tomatoes! I really just can't decide." The door finally opened, just when Claire found her breakthrough, and she recognized the voice of Jill when she was just trying to be agreeable. She guessed that Vesta must have been as pushy as she looked.

"Oh, hey! Marlin! Looks like you've made a friend here." Vesta made her wide, full open-mouth smile and hooked her brother's neck with her elbow. "Claire's a pretty looking girl indeed, eh? So, what were you two talking about?"

Both Claire and Marlin blushed deeply, directing their gazes in different directions. Marlin assumed his former position, hands in pockets and slumped against the wall, and Claire only looked at Jill, whose curious expression certainly didn't help things either.

"I'm thinking we should have left them alone a little longer," Jill teased, making Vesta laugh.

_I am so going to kill her when we get home. _One day, someday soon, Jill was eventually going to have to get hers. Why was Claire the one getting caught up in awkwardness all the time? They were just going to have to randomly discover a guy that Jill liked, though if she wasn't feeling the same kind of attraction to Marlin, she might as well not be attracted to any men at all!

Fortunately for them both, Celia came in at that moment and signaled to Marlin for him to come outside, while Vesta and Jill proceeded with the sales.

She dared not look in Marlin and Celia's direction as they made their way back home, fuming with anger, humiliation, and disappointment that just sat there… and stewed, ironically. Claire knew she hadn't yet reached that age when she could let things go, and now, thanks to today, she wasn't sure she could even eat stew anymore for a long time. All because she had to ask Marlin what he liked to eat.

_That,_ she swore, _is the very last time I'm asking stupid trivia questions ever again_. Claire carried on with her elephant march several paces behind Jill on the trail. _I mean, favorite food? He was probably wondering why I even cared. Now he thinks I'm the stalkerish type. Oh GOD._

"Hey, Claire!"

Promptly she spun around, dirt sweeping up in a cloudy gust around her shoes. Marlin was waving to her from the corn field, Celia smiling with a large basket in her arms.

"It was really nice meeting you!" he called after her. "Swing by again sometime and we'll talk more, okay?"

Claire gave him the thumbs-up sign and he returned it. Once again her face began to flush, burning hot while her heart was racing. Thank goodness Jill was already too far ahead to have noticed anything.


	7. Rock's The Man

Summer 17th

When Jill stated that she had something to show her, Claire must not have heard her. The blonde had set herself on auto-pilot for several minutes, her face twitching in an unsatisfying manner until she let it lift in an involuntary, daydreamy smile. Marlin was just _so cute_, but Claire did her best to avoid thinking about him. Somehow his image just kept reappearing in the hazy summer air, for about as long as it took for the sun to set and dusk to settle in.

In fact, she was so stuck on thinking about her new crush that whatever Jill wanted her to see, as uninteresting as it must have to be, was just another little disappointment that couldn't overshadow the deep voice and pensive face that seemed to bring the daylight back. Claire would just smile and nod, and be Jill's yes-girl until they could go home, and she'd be able to think about Marlin in quiet darkness.

Claire began to notice where Jill led her when the padding feeling beneath her shoes turned to a squishy softness -- was this sand?

"There's going to be a festival here at the end of the month," Jill said, stopping in her tracks and taking in the sight of graceful ocean waves rising and coming to babble humbly at the soaked sand. Claire noticed, too, that the rushing noises were calm, and when the waves broke it looked like the ocean was bowing in deep respect to the night sky.

Jill's grin looked all the more sincere as they stood there, the steady wind tickling her face and sending many strands of her brown hair up and around like streamers. Claire had never noticed Jill's dimples before. Tonight she looked cuter, but not more feminine, just childlike. She admired that after such long and hard work, Jill could be this blissful. Undoubtedly this was the look of having one's deepest desires granted. Claire flushed a little, realizing that she had played at least some small part in making her closest friend happy.

"I figured you might want to rest a bit when the time comes, but… I was wondering if you'd still like to go with me," Jill requested, her eyes cloudy and her face pointed toward the sea.

"Well, why wouldn't I?" Claire said, feeling awkwardness settling in. Jill was so outgoing, unpredictable, and fast-paced that there had never been awkwardness between them before.

"Because I know I get on your nerves." Jill walked a few paces forward, tucking her hands into her pockets and wandering aimlessly, now looking for the moon.

Claire frowned and ran to catch up, linking her arm around Jill's and leaning against the taller girl's shoulder. These days Jill was noticeably stronger and more flexible, with a more pronounced athletic body. Claire realized that physical exhaustion did nothing to alter Jill's good moods, but that her whining and incompetence probably dragged Jill down.

"Aww, don't say that," said Claire quietly, fighting a scratchiness in her throat that made her want to cough.

Jill placed a hand on Claire's head, with a look of humble relief and gratification. As they stared at each other, Claire picked up the sounds of a third pair of shoes making a light, shuffling jog across the sand.

It was a boy. He had yellow-blond hair, stood at medium height, and his eyes were a dull brown. He had the rounder face and meatier physique of a youth who was well cared for by his parents. Upon first appearance Claire guessed that either he had been sheltered, or he was resisting growing up and came to the beach to play whenever he liked.

As it turned out, her guess wasn't completely inaccurate. Jill joined her in staring at him, perplexed -- he had come running up to them like a puppy wanting attention.

"Hey, am I interrupting anything?" the boy asked, complete with enthusiastic arm movements, his legs wide open in a stance that was ready for action. Maybe he liked sports and had not yet burned out all of his energy for the day.

"Not really," Jill said, shrugging. "We were just going for a walk before heading back home. Is there something that you want?"

The boy scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Wow, I guess I've never encountered anyone that wasn't thrilled to see me before."

Jill and Claire exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"It's probably just because we've never met before," Claire told him politely, her eyes measuring that he was about the same height as she, and shorter than Jill.

"Who are you?" Jill asked.

The boy looked confused, as though he really were the town puppy and should be recognized as the most adorable thing in the valley. "Well, I go by Rock. I live with my mom at the Inner Inn and I just go out and do whatever I want, basically. I figured everyone knows me. I hang out with everybody," he said proudly.

"I see," Jill uttered, scratching her nose and looking away.

"I'm Claire, and this is Jill," Claire spoke up, extending her hand.

Rock took her hand in his. Instead of shaking it, he turned it over and examined her skin closely, as though Claire had offered him a rare seashell.

"Hmm, not as soft and smooth as mine. Do you moisturize?" He was being completely serious!

Claire stood with eyes widened, and Jill's face broke into an unrecognizable expression. It looked as though she was dying to laugh, but at the same time her face read "I can't believe he just said that".

"M-maybe you should moisturize," Jill said, poking her friend in the arm as she fought back a fit of giggling.

"I don't really have the time for it, seeing as I work every day, on a farm," Claire said defensively.

"Work?" Rock seemed to have trouble registering this, staring into the open. Judging by his reaction, one would think that the word "work" meant there was a fly buzzing around his face. "But… _why_?"

"Uh… well, buddy, some of us aren't so privileged as to have everything paid for them already by their parents," Jill explained, making a show of looking down at her watch.

"Oh. Well, that sucks. So I suppose you're too busy to come by the Inner Inn with me right now?"

"Yes," the girls declared in unison.

Rock looked deflated. "Well… uh… next time, don't be so anti-social. There's lots of _cool_ people like me that you can hang out with, whenever you want. Maybe sometime soon you'll see how boring work is, and you'll come to party with us."

"Thanks for the intriguing offer," Jill said.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner!" Claire added with sarcasm. Which, as to be expected, only flew right over Rock's head.

"See what I mean? Nobody can resist hanging out with me. I'm good looking _and_ I have great ideas. I'm such a genius!" Rock turned around and made his way back across the beach, from wherever he came from, winking and waving from over his shoulder. "I'll see you two around."

Claire and Jill froze stiffly, eyes rolling. Neither of them knew what to say next.

"Well," Claire started, "he's… nice."

"I think I'm starting to pick up on why they call him Rock."

"Why? Because he seemed to just pop out from under one?"

"Well, that too. But I'll keep my reason to myself."

"He's harmless."

"He certainly impressed the hell out of me, what about you?"

"Charmed," Claire said with emphasized disgust. "Can you believe a guy like that?"

"You can only blame him a little bit, really. Some people just have all the luck. Some people get away with being Mama's boy. I'm just hoping that sooner or later he'll have a future."

"Man," Claire sighed. "This is not what I wanted when I was looking forward to meeting small-town guys."

Jill gave her friend a playful shove. "Oh, so _this_ is why you wanted to move. Forget about having a beautiful farm and hanging out with me, why don't you. I guess there is something more that you could possibly ask for."

Claire pushed back, and the two erupted into laughter as they skirmished. Only about two minutes later they were spitting out hair and sand, climbing the slope that was covered in grass with their arms slung across each other's shoulders.

"It's okay. You two can go on dates at the Inn and eat instant noodles together. And you can compare his beach tan with your farmer's tan," Jill teased.

"I'm gonna get a _farmer's tan_?!" Claire shivered, mostly from fright but also due to the night wind.

"I'm just playing. Come on, let's go home before any more creepy little boys decide they want to dazzle us. Are you cold?" Jill drew Claire in tighter, rubbing her friend's arm with her palm.

"Just a little."

"We'll be home in no time."

"Jill… I feel like I need to take a bath. Can you promise you'll come to my rescue if I run into some guy like that again?"

"So long as it doesn't look like you're having _too _much fun."

"Oh please…."


	8. Summer Matsuri

Summer 24th

The best time of the day was when work was over. Claire heard Jill's final nag, and they would check the shipping crate to make sure all the crops were bundled properly, and that they hadn't forgotten anything more. The fact that money came trickling into their wallets made the burden that much lighter. However, they remained frugal about it; after work they could have easily blown money at the Blue Bar, but they didn't.

At this moment Claire sat in the soft, cushiony thick grass in front of the house, the little brown dog in her lap, busying itself with a chew toy. She watched on as Jill shook hands and made closing small talk with a short, stocky and muscular man with a massive scruffy beard. Gotz, she remembered. The two of them leaned against the barn he had just built, thanks to Jill's efforts and savings skills. Claire was just glad that it blocked out the sun for parts of the day. Though every once in a while, she felt a bit of guilt and pity deep in her stomach. Claire knew she'd never reach the same level of output that Jill did.

Jill came back into the house every evening basting in her own sweat, not bothering to redo her ponytail, and immediately bent over her notebook, making forceful and energetic scratches in it with a pencil. She did this for at least an hour every night, sometimes stuffing her mouth with supermarket rice balls. Jill just burned through the day with her own energy and strength, often forgetting to eat until the evening. And even sitting down she was still working, checking off and revising her plans.

Whereas Claire was more liberal with her free time. Now her clothes trunk had more sets of clothes inside than Jill's. Her reward every so often was a new color of overalls from the tailor, and today she was modeling a pure, bright crayon-green that she couldn't deny she looked damn good in. It would be a long time, of course, before she could get Jill's approval for buying new wallpaper, but at least it was a start. Nothing wrong with having something to look forward to.

"Are you ready to go?" Jill asked, towering over the sitting Claire. As the sun began its descent, it turned the loose ends of Jill's hair a golden-orange. The brunette stood in such the perfect position, so that she blocked the sun's burning but glowed with a strange aura.

"Sure," Claire said, squinting and giving the dog a final scratch behind the ears before getting to her feet. "But you can't be like my mom and make me leave the school dance early when I'm just beginning to have fun."

"How can I resist playing along when I know you'll play your role and pout like the perfect child?"

Jill led the way down to the beach they had visited only once before, and of course Claire followed behind shyly, tiptoed when she looked out over Jill's shoulder. She could see that a few paper lanterns sat unmoving and glowing brightly in the sand, and already many people had gathered around them in circles, most likely gossiping. Claire had never forgotten her fear of that.

"Isn't this great? Come on, there's a stall over there and the guy who makes food is supposed to be brilliant," Jill suggested.

A colorfully-striped kiosk stood to their far left, tiny and easily manned by one villager cooking up a storm, with a trademark purple bandanna wrapped around his head.

"Hi," Jill said, approaching the dark figure. She fell silent in just an instant, not elaborating in one bit like she usually did. Was there a menu somewhere she was looking at?

"Hi," the tan boy said. Claire came out from behind Jill and smiled at the guy, liking his friendly face and his impressive dark tan, which became more pronounced in the night with just a few flickering lights around. Up until just now he had been dancing to some tune inside his head, happily jamming as he bent down for more paper plates.

"We're new," Jill said, folding her hands together in a girlish fashion -- _What?!_

"Well," the guy said, "hi there. I'm glad you found my stall. Are you guys hungry?" Claire's eyes swept over the man from top of his head, to his beltline level with the countertop. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd definitely had more time _looking_ at guys than Jill did. Jill probably looked at men the same way she looked at common farm animals, except perhaps with less interest. There was no way Jill could also guess that he may have been blushing a little bit just then!

"A little bit. What do you have?"

"I can whip up any tasty snack in just moments," the guy said after clearing his throat and self-consciously tightening the knot in his bandanna. "I can make you a cheeseburger, or heat you up a pretzel, I've got fries, and the pizza will be done in about three minutes."

"I like pizza," Jill said, suddenly wheezing as though she had been running. "I don't mind the wait."

"Pizza for you, and…" He leaned over and nodded to Claire courteously. "And your friend?"

"You wouldn't happen to have corn dogs, would you?" Claire inquired, catching onto what was happening here with amusement. Maybe throwing him off a little bit would get rid of this weird start to the conversation.

"I see I'm not the only one who loves corn dogs!" He threw back his head and laughed, brightening up a bit as he pulled out a square box and tongs. "They don't sell as much as the rest, but I've got plenty! Makes more for you and me though, so have as many as you want!"

Claire raised and lowered her eyebrows comically at Jill, who pretended to ignore her. Funny how he should completely change and become more open to _her_, but he and Jill couldn't articulate well together at all.

"What brings you two all the way out here? Did you come from Flower Bud to see the Fireworks Festival?" he asked casually, taking out an oblong wrapped in foil with a wooden stick poking out. Claire happily recognized her corn dog and fidgeted to get money from her pocket.

"Well, we are from Flower Bud, but we're working here on the farm with Takakura," Jill finally said, smoothing back her loose hair, glad that the man was looking in a different direction.

"Oh, so you're new! How dumb of me -- I'm Kai."

"I'm--I'm--I'm Jill, and she--"

"I'm Claire." The blonde peeled back the foil and blew on her corn dog, eyeing them both with a bit of annoyance. Jill had no clue when it came to guys, and this Kai -- whatever was unordinary about a girl like Jill, he'd obviously never seen it before. Claire perceived Kai as being cool, so what was he doing being a wreck like this?

"Nice to meet you both. It always feels good to see new faces coming to enjoy my food. How's that corn dog?"

"MMMMM," Claire moaned loudly, savoring the juicy dog and sweet cornbread tastes flood her mouth. It tasted so good that it didn't matter if she couldn't see Marlin here, or if they canceled the fireworks display. This was so much better than the bland food they had at home, Claire's eyes almost started watering.

"Glad you like it! Incomprehensible eating sounds are compliments indeed," Kai laughed. "Just wait until Jill gets her pizza. So, farming huh? That must be pretty tough, considering Takakura was wanting to give up and let the place go awhile back."

"You don't say," Jill spoke.

_You don't say?! Why do people even use that saying anyway?_

_I've got to get things moving somehow._

"But Jill's gotten pretty good at this farming thing," Claire babbled, in between chewing her food. "She's built a barn already, harvested corn and tomatoes, and she's planning on buying us a cow!"

"He doesn't want to hear about that," Jill muttered with her jaw clenched and teeth gritted.

"Well then, what else are you going to talk about then?"

"_Claire! Hey, Claire!_" called a strong voice from yards away. Claire turned around and saw Griffin, Muffy, and Gustafa waving at her. She almost choked in surprise, feeling some of her hair stand on end. She felt very nervous at the prospect of talking to them again, although it made her happy to at least see their faces again.

"Sorry about that, guys," Claire said to Jill and Kai. "I was going to bring up something I heard the other day about moisturizing, but it seems I have more friends than I thought!" She laughed proudly and slapped money on the counter.

"It's on me," Kai said, looking confused. '_Moisturizing?_' he seemed to be thinking.

Claire marched across the sand to the lantern close to the three villagers. In the distance she could see Rock scampering from cluster to cluster of people. Whether making appearances or trying to find people to give him the time of day, she didn't know.

"Come and sit," Muffy said, gesturing at the empty space that would complete a square among them. "If I can get sand on my dress and scratching my legs, then you won't be so bad."

"Wow! Thanks."

"This'll be your first Fireworks Festival here," Griffin said, patting Claire's shoulder. "We hope you have a good time. It gets better and better every year. I wonder what the pyro twins have up their sleeves this year."

"The town has this thing against large bonfires," Gustafa said, light from the lantern reflecting in his sunglasses. "But I like to sing and play music anyway."

"Is that a corn dog you're eating?" Muffy widened her eyes and gasped in shock. "I haven't had one of those in years! I thought Kai stopped selling those!"

"Come, I'll buy you one," Gustafa offered. "I'm pretty hungry, too. You want anything, Griffin?"

"No thanks; I ate before I left."

"Suit yourselves."

By now Claire was starting to get accustomed to being left alone with 'strangers', but luckily she seemed to be making the best of it. So far. But she remembered how kind Griffin was, and got the feeling that he never ran out of things to talk about. Tonight he didn't appear to be distracted by anything, only calm and peaceful as he watched the sea, occasionally waving cordially at someone who passed by.

"Farm coming along nicely?" he asked, drawing a picture of a boat in the sand with a stick.

"Actually, yes. Thanks mostly to Jill, of course. It's slow, but we're making it all right."

"That's good to hear. Farming must be a huge challenge, seeing as Takakura was getting discouraged."

"He's a good mentor."

Slowly Griffin's eyes moved to meet hers, and his high spirits fell for a moment before he made the decision to speak. Claire dreaded it was going to be about drinking, ready to assure him that she wasn't going to relive embarrassing him in his own bar.

_I'm a lightweight, already. I get it._

"How come you haven't been coming by the bar anymore?" he asked gruffly.

This caught Claire off guard. "Well… uh…"

"You do know you're always welcome back, right?"

"Oh." Claire giggled slightly. "Well, I wasn't sure, for the most part. Also, you know, the farm."

"Ah. Right. It's just that Gustafa was asking about you the other day, and Muffy's been calling you a dear and all that."

"And they've been wanting to laugh at me some more, right?"

Griffin looked stung. "No, not at all! Don't think that. Unless, of course, if you don't like us, I guess I can't blame you. We _are_ a pretty odd bunch…"

"Oh, I do! You guys are fun! You're great."

Griffin smiled. "Well, I sure do feel better now. Is it your partner there not wanting you to drink?"

Claire thought for a moment, then spotted Jill, her face burning red as she split a pizza with Kai.

"At this point I don't think she cares that much. She kind of owes me."

"Okay, then." Griffin massaged her shoulder and neck. "Just remember you always have friends at the Blue Bar. Come and see us more often. We'll love having you, I promise."

"I will." Claire beamed. This was the coolest news she'd heard in days. Seeing Jill all flustered like that was only a sign that things were going to change for the better. Now they weren't lonely and awkward anymore.


	9. Friends With Nami

Summer 30th

Probably the hardest thing Claire had to deal with upon coming here was lack of an appropriate place to bathe. Jill said there was something that felt particularly wrong with using the Goddess Pond in that clearing behind the big tree, and so they had to deal with the showerhead attached to the side of the house, blocked off by a few feet of wooden fencing. This was how the previous owner of the farm had lived, and he and Takakura took turns using this shower every single morning for years. Now it was their turn.

Adding a second showerhead didn't exactly help that much. Claire and Jill hung their clothes over the fence and made sure they were out before Takakura went left his house next door at nine in the morning. Jill's insistence that they walk out the door around six guaranteed this was no big issue, save Claire's smartass comment that Takakura still had windows.

Still, the water was _freezing_. Even in the hottest, cruelest days of summer, there was no way to get used to this. Jill had said nothing in the world was more refreshing, but Claire hated it with a passion. The feeling of jumping in an icy pond, then going back out to work was not refreshing. Claire had to let her hair drip-dry, but even though this part was cooling her neck while she worked the fields, her neck down was going to be covered in sweat again.

"It's your turn to get the eggs this morning," Jill reminded her as she arranged her hair in a ridiculous puffy bathing cap.

"Do not talk to me about chickens when I'm naked and I'm freezing," Claire said, hugging her arms around her own body, fearing to move to grab the plain bran soap.

"I'm just letting you know," Jill said as she scrubbed her arms, "I have to fix up the crop fields to prepare for fall vegetables, and provide enough hay for the cow. The least you can do is get my eggs, and please don't break any of them this time."

"Fine," Claire agreed bitterly, her teeth chattering. "But you have to finish building all four sides so that this is like a shower _room_, and we have to fix this shower problem before winter comes."

"We're using the hot springs for that, remember? Oh, and that reminds me… ahhhh! There's so much more I have to do before winter. Do I have all the time to do that today?"

"Winter's not coming for a long time. Though now that I think about it, this stupid freezing water sure makes you think otherwise."

"This is what fall is all about," Jill lectured. "It's pre-winter preparation season, so it's almost like Fall itself isn't there at all. I have to think about insulation for us _and_ the animals, and gather enough materials for a kitchen. We can't grow anything in the winter, so there's no other way to eat unless we start cooking."

Claire towel-dried in a big rush, wriggling into her T-shirt and making a big leap into her pink overalls. She called to the dog and put yesterday's leftovers into its dish, but he seemed to smell something more interesting. He lifted his nose to the air, whirled around and scampered across the field to the fence, barking excitedly at a very scrawny boy who leaned over to pet him.

How strange. Nobody ever came to their farm, ever, unless someone was making a delivery or giving Jill an estimate for a new structure to be built. But this boy she had never seen before. What could he be here to offer? Claire didn't recognize such unique, messy flaming-red hair.

As she approached the fence, though, Claire realized this was a girl. It was a girl wearing a plaid shirt, bright and clean white shorts, and a pair of stylish boots. She looked like the type who might like riding horses… or arm-wrestling. That, she figured, was what Jill was going to look like in a few years if she loved her farming way too much. Looking at this girl now, Claire was never so aware of her own curvy womanliness.

"What can I do for you?" Claire asked nicely, tossing her damp hair back.

"I heard that the girl Jill lives here," the girl replied, tickling the dog as he lay helpless on his back. Her eyes were such a piercingly clear blue.

"She does. I live with her as her farming partner. I can run and get her if you like."

"Nah, it's okay. I just wanted to take a look at the farm she works on. Am I bothering you guys?"

"No, not at all. I'd offer you a tour but there's not much to see. Or do you want to come and pet the animals?"

The girl looked at her shoes, scowling a little. Claire wondered what she seemed to be so angry about. Was she having a bad day, or was it just her nature?

"Just dogs and cats is all I know, sorry. Anyway, if you want you can tell Jill I said hi. I don't remember what she said your name was, though."

"Claire. And yourself?"

"I'm Nami." She sighed. "I suppose I'll be on my way and try to find something else to do."

Claire frowned. "No need to. Are you so terribly bored?"

Nami picked up the dog and scratched behind his ears. "Only up until this little guy came along. Say, if you're not up to anything important, maybe you'd like to hang out?"

What a surprise! Claire fidgeted with her hands, thinking about all Jill said that she needed to do, but figured that one day off wouldn't hurt.

"All I have to do is feed the chickens and get the eggs. It won't take long, just ten minutes. And then we can do whatever. Okay?"

Claire came running back to the fence twenty minutes later, out of breath. Surprisingly, she found Nami still sitting up there, doing something with her fingernails.

"Jill says hi, too. Sorry to keep you waiting. So what do you do around here for fun?" she panted, climbing up onto the fence and sitting next to her new companion.

"Isn't that stuff boring?"

"You're telling me. I get up at six every morning and take freezing showers, then I clear out the field and do watering, and occasionally help with the animals, like today."

Nami raised her eyebrow curiously. "Uh-huh. And this is something that you can stand doing every day, for the rest of your life?"

"Well… uh…" Claire kicked her legs back and forth. "I didn't plan on staying here until I die or anything. By that time I'll be doing something different, I hope."

"I don't plan on staying here either." Nami's eyes were cold and distant. Now Claire longed to know where she had come from, and what kind of depressing job she had that kept her tied here.

"What brought you to this place?"

"I'm just wandering about. I travel and think. Just trying to find my place in the world."

"That's fascinating."

"But I earn enough money helping out at the Inn to keep my room in it, if that's what you mean."

"I see. How long are you staying?"

"Just until figure out that my welcome here has worn itself out. There's nothing special keeping me here, but nothing special enticing me to go either."

"I've never met anyone like you before," Claire said, timidly. Nami made her wonder about the course of her own life -- where she herself would be in the next year. Before she arrived here, the farming thing seemed like only a temporary job, but Jill was enjoying herself tremendously here. But, like Nami, Claire didn't know whether or not she liked it enough here. What if there was more out there, better things to do? Surely Nami would be one to tell her.

Nami grinned at her. "I'll take that as a compliment. Come hang out with me in my room today and we can talk more."

Claire was only able to wave hello to Ruby at the front counter before she found herself being dragged up the staircase by Nami. Now she understood how Jill had come to be friends with this strange girl. Plus, Jill didn't discriminate much -- there were very few people Jill didn't like.

Rock was one of them. And speak of the devil--

"What's up? Anything going on? Can I hang out with you guys?" Rock appeared from around the corner at the end of the hallway, chasing them like a little dog to the door of Nami's room.

"There's nothing exciting to see here, Rock," Nami told him sternly. "For someone who _pretends_ to work here, you of all people should know by now what the inside of a hotel room looks like. Now get lost." She pushed Claire into the room and shut the door noisily.

Claire took a good look around and noticed a large globe and a folded map on the side table. The bed was single-sized and was made neatly, the pink carpet vacuumed, and curtains only drawn a little. About twenty or so various sized glow-in-the-dark stars hung from the ceiling. Claire guessed that Ruby would only let Nami do that, as she was probably a full-time resident.

"Did you get a good look?" Nami asked, her face expressionless as usual.

"I like your room."

"That makes one of us. Here." Nami motioned for her to sit on the bed as she pulled out the drawer to her side table, picking out a small cardboard box and throwing it on the mattress beside her. "Private stash of chocolates. I restock pretty often, so help yourself."

"Wow, thanks. So, uh… what do you do when you're not in here?" Claire held one chocolate bar in her hand but didn't unwrap it just yet, wondering at how unusual it was to be invited somewhere, to be on an actual visit. She was a guest! So this was what it felt like.

"I go by Turtle Pond. There's a guy who lives near there, kinda weird and goofy, but he likes music and poems. Sometimes I go to listen. I guess he likes me," Nami said, her face still stoic. Claire wondered what it took to make her show emotion.

"Oh! So _you're_ the girl that Gustafa is writing songs about?"

Nami turned red and stiffened, holding her breath for several seconds. "How did you know about that?" she interrogated, obviously a little agitated.

"Sorry to upset. I met Gustafa at the Blue Bar once, and he sang a song about a pretty girl at the pond."

"He called me 'pretty'?" Nami's eyes widened, almost resembling tranquil blue ponds themselves. Claire tried to picture her and Gustafa in some romantic scenario, but her imagination just wasn't letting it happen.

"You're blushing." Claire smiled and poked Nami in the arm.

"Hey, well… fine!" Nami shouted. "But you have to tell me a secret too! Who do _you_ like?"

Claire stammered, looking away. Now it was her turn to blush. She had just met Nami today; could she really tell her something like this? If Jill liked and trusted her, perhaps she was all right, but Claire had known a girl who told secrets once, and would not fall for something like that ever again.

Nami rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms impatiently. "I'm not going to _tell_ anyone. I just think it's fair and it'll make us even. But if you're not cool with it, there's no pressure. I guess you haven't been around long enough to have seen any guys, anyway."

"She likes _me_! Duh!" Rock called from behind the locked door. Claire panicked and shielded her head with her arms, hoping that Rock wouldn't burst in.

"Go away, retard!" Nami yelled. "The only woman who can even stand you is your mother! And even then, it's only because she has to!"

"Hey, don't be jealous! All the girls like me! You have as much of a chance as Claire and all the others. It's a matter of who comes to me first. Or who brings me the best gifts!"

Claire fell onto her side laughing, but Nami only huffed and puffed.

"Do I have to go out there and beat the living crap out of you in front of Claire? I'll do it, and you know I will!" she snarled. "If you think I'm playing, just _keep_ effing off outside my room! I dare you!"

It only took seconds before they heard Rock descend down the wooden staircase, creaking the whole way down. When they heard no more noises, Nami cleared her throat and resumed the conversation, this time in a softer voice.

"Well? Do you have anything to say?"

Claire gulped. _Geez. Is she going to kick me out and not be my friend if I don't have anything to say?_

"I guess… uh… I think Marlin is really cute." Claire burst out giggling, covering her mouth with her hands. She'd never spoken it out loud before, and it felt so weird but so _good _doing it now.

"_Marlin_?" Nami squeaked. "You like _Marlin_?"

"Ssshh, sshhhhh! Somebody will hear you!" Claire whispered fiercely, but she knew she was done for. Nami knelt on the ground, the wind knocked out of her as she laughed, her voice loud and cracking. Her face turned beet-red and she was clutching her side.

"Oh god… oh god…. You're making my stomach hurt! I can't stop laughing!" Nami shrieked.

"Oh, come on now. What's so bad about that? Gustafa is just fine but there's something wrong with Marlin? At least Marlin seems normal. Gustafa is a bit too happy for most people!"

"Don't get mad." Nami wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, sitting back on the bed, still trembling with giggles. "I'm sorry, I really am. It's just so damn _funny_!"

"And I fail to see why."

"There's nothing _wrong_ with Marlin, per se. It's just that never in the history of my time here, or even _all_ of history for that matter, has anyone heard of somebody liking _Marlin_. It cracks me up!"

"I'm glad you're having such a good time," Claire said flatly. Great. Something definitely had to be wrong with him now. Right about everything or not, Nami was definitely the critic of everybody in town, and had to know most of the grim and ugly truths about everyone. Sooner or later, unless they stayed friends, Claire thought she'd be a subject of gossip and criticism too.

What would Nami not like about him? Did he already have a girlfriend -- or wife? Was he attracted to other guys? Did she date him once? Did he have bad habits or did he typically do things that women didn't like? Claire felt a strange cramp in her stomach all of a sudden.

"Don't worry about it," Nami said, once she finally regained her composure. "Whooo… I _am_ sorry about that, really I am. Tell you what. Let's go to the Blue Bar tonight. Both Marlin _and _Gustafa can be found there during the later hours a couple times a week, and we can go watch them and make fun of them."

Claire raised her eyebrows.

"Trust me. I see patterns in people's lives around here. They do the same boring thing repetitively, and unfortunately it looks like you do, too. I'll be your reliable source. Let's go have some fun tonight. It sure is great having someone to talk to." Nami grinned in satisfaction, still gripping her aching stomach as she fell back on the bed next to Claire.

Claire sighed and resigned herself to this. Nami sure knew how to shake up everything, and she'd probably cause some sort of mayhem at the bar tonight, but knowing that Marlin would be there kind of made this okay in her book.


	10. Dangerous Games

Forget-Me-Not Valley, the Blue Bar

Summer 30th

If Claire had always thought that Jill was trouble, then hanging out with Nami for the day must be way over her head. Nami was silent and conniving, but she was intelligent and insightful. Until around nine in the evening, Nami had asked Claire several thought-provoking questions. Not that they were too deep and intellectual, but they were all on a personal level. Claire hadn't talked about her opinions and feelings with Jill like this in a very, very long time. One would almost think that Nami was working on a survey for some college class.

The Blue Bar almost stood perfectly still once Nami made her quiet entrance. Griffin's eyebrows shot up and Muffy seemed to shrink back in fear when they saw her, but Claire detected curiosity lingering in the air when they spotted that she and Nami were walking in together.

Griffin went to work immediately with bottles that smelled awful, and pulled out many clean shot-glasses. Claire's stomach twisted as she recalled the alcohol smell, wondering if she would ever be ready to try this again.

"Anything happen lately? Same ol' nothing?" Nami asked, resting her elbows on the counter.

" 'Fraid so," Griffin reported, tugging on his shirt collar uncomfortably. "What's going on in your life? Made any new plans?"

"Nope," Nami declared, proudly and carelessly. "But I did make a new friend here. Have you met her?"

"Claire's becoming quite popular around here."

"Yes, isn't she a dear? It seems she gets along with just about anyone," Muffy said, arranging tortilla chips around a tray of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.

"Got any cheese for that?" Nami reached over and immediately began stuffing her mouth with nachos. Muffy looked annoyed and pretended not to hear her question.

Then Nami reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, striped rectangular box. Without any second thought, she took out a cigarette and ignited it with a tiny pocket-sized lighter, inhaling deeply and sighing in relaxation, a stream of cloudy smoke shooting across the bar. Claire felt so scared and embarrassed that tears began to form in her eyes. Or maybe it was because of the smoke itself. What an unforgiving smell! Nami must have burned out her own nose hairs a long time ago; Claire felt a stinging sensation when she inhaled.

"Ugh! Don't light that up in here!" Muffy wailed, coughing a little and waving her arms around. The smoke didn't dissipate much; instead it hung in the air like a sheer curtain, and Claire could still see it. Muffy touched her hair with passion, as if Nami had flicked ash into it.

"What?" Nami said, turning to Claire. "Don't tell me you've never seen anyone smoke before."

"Actually, I haven't," Claire told her, her eyes watering and her hands over her nose and mouth. "We were just taught that it's bad. In Flower Bud everyone got mad when they started finding tons of cigarette butts on the ground."

"It's not like it's the worst thing you can do to yourself. In fact, smoking and drinking kind of go hand-in-hand." Nami reached for her first shot glass, downing her alcohol in less than a second. "Mmmm."

"I can't believe you! Now I need to go into town and buy some spray!" Muffy complained with her hands on her hips. "Honestly!"

"Calm down, Muffy. It's not that terrible. I wouldn't throw her out for that," Griffin said softly, setting out _two_ glass ash-trays and bumming a cigarette from Nami's pack. "Are those Lights?"

"Griffin!"

"Muffy, come on. I'm tired." Indeed, Claire noticed round creases beneath Griffin's eyes, and hoped he was okay. Griffin usually seemed to be on top of his game at all times. Did something happen?

"Hey, hey, hey!" Nami thumped her hand against the counter. "We're not grumbling and bitching tonight. Let's think of something fun and different to lighten the mood."

"I see you've already discovered I made nachos," Muffy stated bitterly. "Before I even finished them."

"But they're delicious," Claire spoke, wishing to avoid a scene.

Muffy's plump red lips finally formed a sweet smile. She bent over and touched Claire's face.

"You're a doll," she said. "So sweet, unlike these nasty smokers."

"Let's play a drinking game!" Nami yelled over Muffy's rebuke. "Griffin, get the shots ready! Let's get a table in here and form a big circle!"

Griffin acted immediately, like a house-servant. Claire marveled at his skill of being active while keeping a cigarette dangling from his lips. She had no doubt that it wasn't going to fall. It was almost like walking around with a pencil balanced on her nose. Muffy followed with her lips sealed tight in frustration, carrying the tray of nachos.

"I suppose you want me to get out my deck of cards too?" Muffy sneered.

"Nope." Nami was determined, leaning back in her chair and pulling up her sleeve to glance at her watch. "And I'll be explaining the rules of the game in five… four… three… two… one…."

The door to the bar swung open and a pair of familiar black boots was the first thing Claire could see. In stepped Marlin wearing somewhat tight-fitting jeans and a faded vanilla shirt, the first few buttons undone dangerously. Claire's mouth and throat went dry and she subconsciously took Nami's shot glass. She jumped, alert, when she realized she was tasting liquid fire.

"See? I'm freakin' psychic. Either that, or you guys are just so boring and predictable."

"Is this poker night? 'Cause I must have missed the sign-up sheet," Marlin said, touching the wave of black hair at the nape of his neck.

"Nope. Now sit down," Nami commanded, pulling Marlin by the elbow and forcing him in the chair next to her. "And I know you'll stay because you also like my favorite drink."

"Well, this is going to be interesting," Marlin mumbled, giving a regarding nod to Griffin, Muffy, and Claire. Claire's heart fluttered when Marlin acknowledged her, but her body froze. She couldn't do as much as wave at him.

"Here's what we're gonna do." Nami took a final drag before crushing her cigarette in the ash tray. "It's the Have-You-Ever game. We'll take turns asking questions, and if you've ever done what the person's asked, then you have to take a shot. Are we clear? Good. Let's get started."

"What a scandalous game!" Muffy exclaimed in cheerful joy, bouncing in her seat and clapping her hands. Claire turned her eyes away shyly as Muffy's chest bobbed up and down a little.

"Nami, that kind of game only leads to trouble. Trust me," Griffin warned. He kept his hand gripped tightly from the bottle, holding it out of Nami's reach as she tried to jump for it.

"Whatever."

"A little immature, don't you think?" Marlin suggested, his face brooding as usual and his head turned away in disinterest.

"Hey!" Nami snapped. "You're playing and that's it! I'm bored, and this is our entertainment! I _could_ just say that we take drags of cigarettes instead of shots!"

"Speaking of which, could you cut it out? I have allergies!"

"You _have to stay_. We're your buddies, and you don't want to upset Claire, do you?"

Claire felt her cheeks turn pink as she dropped her tortilla chip on the floor. Nami pointed at her almost accusingly, and Marlin looked at her. As Claire held her breath, he grunted and gave up.

"I'm glad you see it my way. Good. I'll go first. Hmm… I have never, ever gone swimming naked, with someone of the opposite sex."

The room remained quiet. Everyone remained patiently, holding their shot glasses in anticipation for the next question. Nami sulked in disappointment. "You guys suck."

"So… my turn?" Griffin spoke. "I have never, ever lost my pants in a bet, or playing a stupid rough-housing game."

Griffin and Marlin took the first shots.

"Boys will be boys," Muffy commented reprovingly. "Next! How about you, Claire?"

"Um…" Claire thought for a moment. What would she ask? Crushes? Girlfriends? Physical interaction? No, that was a bit much. Claire desperately wanted to know so much about Marlin, but she couldn't be obvious about it. With nothing clever in mind, she sighed. "Okay. I have never, ever kept a secret to myself for several years."

Nami, Griffin, Claire, and Marlin all took shots while Muffy blinked in confusion.

"I have never, ever seen someone die." Marlin looked around, then reached for his shot glass.

"_Lame_!" Nami called out. "This is NOT Emo Fest!"

"What? I thought it was a bold and daring question!"

"Well, I'll drink if seeing someone die on TV or in a movie counts," Muffy spoke, obviously wishing to end the awkward moment. "And unless you've never seen a movie before, you_ have_ to do a shot, right now! Thank you, Marlin, that was a legitimate question."

"And I think 'have you ever seen a movie before' is one as well," Nami retorted.

"Don't be a smartass!" Muffy argued. "I was holding in one of _the_ boldest and most dangerous questions of _all time_! I was playing this game before you even hit your teen years!"

"But you still forfeit your turn. We've all gone, so it's back to me now. I have never, ever… breathed air." Nami giggled like she'd said the most brilliant thing in the world.

"Now you're just trying to get everyone drunk!" Marlin and Muffy said at the same time.

"My turn, my question. My game, my freakin' rules. Next!… You wait your damn turn, Muffy!"

Minutes passed, and somehow Claire was still feeling fine. The mysterious liquid no longer burned going down, and a curious state of relaxation possessed her body. The firm wooden chair no longer hurt her lower back, and she and Marlin were laughing at Nami and Muffy together. Maybe, just maybe, she was becoming one of the gang. She was just still shy and quiet. All she needed were a few daring questions and the opportunity to really socialize. It was still hard when she didn't have any hilarious stories like the others did. And everyone else drank a lot more shots than she did.

Now it was finally Muffy's turn, and everyone around the table had loosened up, stories and confessions rolling off their tongues like pebbles off steep cliffs.

"Okay, okay, okay. My turn. Finally. Woo-hoo!" Muffy shouted, her hair a mess and her sweater about to fall off her shoulders as she tried to bring her giggling fit under control. Claire missed what was going on while she was reflecting, but she and Nami were now in tears laughing.

"Ahem. Okay. I have never, ever kissed someone of the same sex!" she burst.

Marlin nearly spat out half-chewed nachos and Griffin coughed. Nami and Muffy looked at each other and resumed their uncontrollable laughter, hiccupping and cheering for no apparent reason. The other three gaped in shock as the two girls reached for their shot glasses and leaned their heads way back.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Marlin said.

"I was totally just kidding," Nami told them as she gasped for breath. "You should have seen the looks on your pathetic faces!"

"And I was dared to at this party in college," Muffy admitted without the tiniest hint of shame. "It's just what happens, natural even. She and I were really close friends anyhow, and it was fun watching everybody screaming! Hahahahaha!"

Their laughter was feeling quite contagious at this moment. Claire was grinning for nearly forty-five minutes now, lightheaded, happy, and a little bit dizzy. Her nose was pink from the alcohol and she thought of a brilliant idea that would take all her friends by surprise.

She drank a shot.

"WHAT?!" Nami and Muffy shrieked. Muffy bent over from pain as she laughed on, and Nami jumped up and down excitedly with a full open-mouth smile that stretched wide across her face. Marlin seemed like he didn't know what to do, but he held his palm up to Griffin for a high five.

"It's true," Claire said. "I have kissed my best friend Jill on her cheek and on her forehead."

"You _can't do that_!" Muffy and Nami yelled.

"That's not fair. I was wanting a story," Muffy pouted and whined.

"This is just going to have to turn into Truth or Dare if you don't do better than that," Nami told her.

"Did you ever do anything else with her?" Muffy asked, standing and bouncing next to Nami.

"Like what?"

"Oh, you know… like more kissing… touching… things like that."

Griffin and Marlin exchanged difficult stares. Claire hated the way men communicated. It was totally different from the 'are you thinking what I'm thinking' way that girls conspired. But hey -- if it was drawing in Marlin's attention….

"Not really," Claire reported honestly. Maybe it was time to give up this game; she'd had her moment and now there was nothing else she could say that would interest them. "I mean, we hug and stuff sometimes, but that's about it."

Muffy looked shot down. "Do you hold hands?"

"Sometimes, like if she's feeling depressed about something. Why? You've never done that with your female friends before?"

"That's not what I meant!" Muffy held her hands up and waved them innocently. "Just curious, that's all. This game is kind of losing its fun and I wanted to hear something interesting. You could have _lied_, you know. Let's hold a contest!"

"I'm the winner!" Nami yelled.

"No, you're the _loser _since you drank the most shots," Muffy corrected her.

"Let's not do shots anymore tonight," Marlin suddenly requested. "My stomach is hurting a little bit. I'm sensitive, and this game blows."

"I'll give you something. How about some saltines?" Griffin offered.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be back in a second. I'm going to stand up and walk around a little bit, and get some fresh air." Marlin headed for the door, incoherently muttering something about the cigarette smoke.

"Now's your _chance_!" Nami hissed in Claire's ear, pulling violently on her arm.

"What?"

"Go out there, now! He's waiting! This is your perfect opportunity. 'Oh, are you okay?' and he'll say, 'Yeah, thanks for coming out and caring about me', or something like that. Do it! And thank me later!" Nami shoved her away, and Claire hesitantly obeyed, taking her time to reach the door.

Marlin was stretching his arms over his head when Claire peeked out the door. He showed no real sign of being inebriated, just the way he was when he first walked in.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?" he asked without turning around, detecting her presence there.

"No, uh…. Just wanting to see if everything was all right. It was Nami's idea, you see, she just wanted to send someone out to check on you."

"Oh, I'm good. Since when does Nami care about how I'm doing anyway? So. Did you have fun in there?" Marlin turned around to face her, grinning humorously, and Claire slowly found herself overcoming her fear of talking to him.

"It was okay, just something to do. You know. Not that I want you to think that I hang out with those goofballs all the time," she added with a nervous laugh.

Claire really liked Marlin's slight smile. It didn't give away too much of his true feelings, and the mysterious image was really alluring to her. For a moment she imagined that from his dark green eyes and his sexy unbuttoned look, she could conclude that he was passionate at heart, maybe even romantic. Or perhaps it was because of what she was drinking for most of the night.

"Hey, that's cool. I'm not going to judge you for your friends. I like them too, even though they really are goofballs. I don't come here a lot, though. Wouldn't want to overstay my welcome."

"Oh, are you kidding? We love having you here."

"Even you?" Marlin looked at her seriously.

"I--I kind of came here to see you." Claire smiled innocently and stared at the ground, absolutely certain this time that she was genuinely blushing, and it wasn't the whiskey working its evil magic.

"Really now! Well, I appreciate that. You're cool. Let's blow this joint, and I'll walk you home. You don't seem to be used to drinking."

"Thanks." Her heart melted and her stomach fluttered with intense excitement. This was more happiness than the illusions from drinking could possibly give her. This was awesome! For now, she focused on walking straight without needing to lean on him, badly though she wanted to, but her knees felt weak.

"No problem. But I have to go straight home after this; I promised Vesta I'd be up early tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay…." Claire sang in a childish voice, feeling as though the stars and clouds in the night sky were all included in a beautiful romantic painting made just for her. Marlin took many steps ahead of her, but stopped every few moments so she could catch up. And Claire made certain that the walk back to the farm would take as long as humanly possible.


	11. Mixed Messages

Fall 11th

It would be an outright lie if anyone said that Claire wasn't working hard. As the air temperature began to cool and the valley's foliage gradually turned colors, Claire could now bend down and tend to the crops without any more pain in her back and her legs. Their giant plastic watering can no longer felt like a massive boulder, and she could carry it with one hand and only limited burning in her arm.

Still, she had gotten off to a slow start this morning. Somehow she couldn't remember a single one of her dreams lately, and so it was as if she hadn't slept at all. Fortunately, she was still turning over in bed while Jill was up before dawn making soft noises -- probably preparing a light breakfast before disappearing off to who-knows-where.

Jill had been up to something lately. Just this morning, Claire was snuggling comfortably with the quilt pressed against her lips. She caught a glimpse of deep, rich black sky when Jill cracked the door open. Claire could only see her friend tightening her ponytail before setting off in a burst of energy. Nothing to worry about, she'd figured. Jill was ten times more the big girl who could take care of herself, and each time she returned home with nothing to report, Claire inferred that the dusty spots on her clothes simply meant other laborious chores. Whatever floated her boat.

It was about 9:25 a.m., and even after watering many plots of soon-to-be eggplants, yams, and carrots, she was still stretching out her fatigue after entering the double-doors to the barn. Immediately she spotted a bale of hay and yearned to sit on it for awhile, but knew that Snowy and Momoko must be hungry.

Claire smiled at the sheep and the cow, proud of how she had come to connect with animals other than normal house pets. All summer she had tended to Snowy, shearing for the first few times in fear of hurting her, but tending to her gingerly, avoiding letting the sheep get overheated at all possible costs. Snowy seemed grateful, and seemed to want thorough petting and hand-feeding sessions after barely even a week. Momoko was brand-new, dusty brown with a wide face that resembled a generous-sized round cookie that Mother used to bake as a special treat.

"Any day now she should feel more relaxed and willing to give milk," Jill said each morning, patting Momoko's large rump. But Claire respected Momoko's large, expressive watery eyes. Cows, she thought, tended to have a motherly look, but on the first few days Momoko looked to Claire and Jill like a child wanting comfort from its parents.

"Not today, huh?" Claire glanced up at Momoko after having cared for and fed the animals, taking away the rather expensive milker at the sight of the cow's pleading eyes. "Don't worry. You still have your beautiful coat for me to look at. No need to speak -- your eyes say it all. Whenever you're ready, big girl. … Hey, Snowy. Are you jealous? You want me to pet you again?"

The doors to the barn were shut, yet Claire lifted her head a bit to check whether or not she really did hear voices. Watching the hard-packed dirt floor, shadows and the shapes of feet and pants' legs slithered in through the narrow gap. Claire could only assume the "engine" of this train of people was Jill, judging by the slenderness of the shadow. A pair of boots followed behind her, followed by thick shapes that were strong as tree trunks.

"You work well for a novice in the early morning," came a thick, deep, rich male voice. It was a baritone that Claire had never heard before, and it made her shiver.

"See? In time it'll be addicting. We'll be happy even if you come join us every day," added a mature womanly voice. The strange man and woman chuckled together.

"I can't wait to show everything I've found," Jill replied, evident that she spoke in pure wonder.

"You'll find that the right quantity of that stuff can make you a pretty penny, too," the man said.

Claire timidly opened the double doors and only her blond head emerged. Jill was holding a brown burlap sack that looked like a recycled bag for potatoes, something heavy weighing it down at the bottom. Next to her was a smiling older lady with a ponytail made of goldenrod-colored waves. She wore nerdy but professional-looking glasses, baggy shorts and a plain top, her body meaty but carved at the same time. When she smiled, her eyes narrowed in a cute fashion and a pink color tinted her smooth face. To their far left was a man of rather short stature, also bulky, with gray-black hair thicker than an animal's proud mane, also in glasses. He seemed also sophisticated and scholarly, wearing a khaki-colored leather vest over a crisp white shirt, a jagged fang-looking necklace adorning his upper chest. Something about his complexion also seemed gray and dusty. Claire wondered if this man was unaccustomed to a good night's sleep. Something important obviously kept him busy.

Jill cleared her throat. "Hey, Claire. This is Flora, and that's Carter. They practically own that excavation site, and their tent's roomier than it looks. They're loaded with the most high-tech camping gear! I was just over there checking it out, and the next thing you know, I dug up a whole bunch of cool stuff!"

"N-nice to meet you," Claire muttered, nodding to each of them as she wiped animal hair on her overalls, stepping out of the barn. "Oh, uh… I took care of the crops and animals for you."

Jill pulled her over with a firm tug and lay her strong arm around Claire's shoulders. "That's really cool of you, Claire. Thanks. I'll take care of the shipping for you."

"My Claire's such a sweetheart," Jill commented, teasing the short blonde with a light punch to the shoulder. Claire still wasn't quite used to that. Flora giggled and Carter grunted.

Claire pulled a red bandanna out of her pocket and patted her face and neck, searching for something to say as Jill took a moment's leave. She really did have a late start in the day. Jill finished something and came back with guests, and Takakura had already left his house. And normally Takakura would peer out the window and wave at everybody.

"Can I make you guys some sandwiches? You must be hungry and tired after all that work."

"Oh, we're used to it." Flora waved her hand and gave her a great smile. Carter nodded politely and tucked one hand into his pocket, casual and classy at the same time. Claire was so impressed that Jill had made friends with such higher-up people. It only seemed fitting that Jill would hang out with friends that shared the same energetic drive and work ethic.

"We have all we need back at the site," Carter spoke in his grumbling voice. "We do appreciate the offer, though."

"Are you two… uh…." Claire stammered and blushed, unable to stop herself before catching sight of their bare ring fingers. Flora's hands seemed callused like Jill's, but still feminine. Carter had large, paw-like man hands. It was a mystery how a little team of two people could work that hard and accomplish much.

"Married? Naw," Flora said with a light laugh, looking down at the grass.

"I guess I work her to death and don't give her the time for a personal life," Carter said with a humble smile. "I'm the guilty one."

"Oh, stop," Flora gushed, laying her hand on Carter's chest. "You know there's nothing more I like than our work. In fact, maybe you should get a girlfriend! Hehehe!"

Carter mumbled something incomprehensible. Claire raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"Hey." Jill came up behind her and slapped Claire on the shoulder. "We're gonna walk around for a little bit just to take a break, and then after that I'm going on a brief run with Wally. Is that okay? Can you hold down the fort for me? You can go off and hang out if you want."

"Sure, no problem."

"Nice meeting you," Flora and Carter said in unison. Claire waved and returned their words of kindness. The prospective couple were already halfway down the path that led into town when Jill stopped, pivoted, and approached Claire once more.

"I found something," she seemed to suddenly remember. "I'm going to let you have it."

"Is it aspirin?"

"You goof." Jill reached into the burlap sack and fumbled, eyes brightening when she found what she was searching for. Something purple and shining snaked and coiled over Jill's hand when she pulled it out, and after a quick rub-down, enough dust and dirt fell to reveal a long necklace.

Claire examined it in her own hands, feeling its surprising weight and turning it in the light to observe its shimmer. Too bad her fingernails were stumps now; she wanted to tap on it -- surely this was made of something much more valuable than just heavy glass beads.

"A necklace? Wow! That was in the mine?"

"Yeah." Jill looked at her shoes sheepishly. "Okay, so maybe it's dirty and all, but I figured it would cheer you up. It's something you don't normally come by here."

"Thanks," Claire said slowly. "That's really neat. You don't want to sell it off? It could have belonged to someone important a long time ago."

"I want you to have it," Jill repeated awkwardly. "You don't like it?"

"I'm not saying that. It's a perfect surprise. I mean, I like it. I really do. I guess that, you know, the fact that it's jewelry. I look like a dirty farmer all day."

"Nah, you can wear it. It'll look great on you. Anyway, I gotta go. See you when I get home for dinner!"

If there was to be any dinner. Claire remembered that they really needed to get cracking on a better means of dining. They'd been eating sandwiches straight for such a long time, she couldn't even taste them anymore.

She went to the water spicket attached to the side of the farmhouse and gently rinsed her gift, shining all the brighter when the sun hit the water. How pretty! This would have to be saved for… her purple overalls. Claire lamented that she hadn't anything nicer to wear this with. It definitely wasn't suited for everyday wear.

"Why would Jill give this to me?" she wondered out loud, holding it up to her chest and then laying it on her forearm, taking note of how elegant it looked against her skin. She stared at it hard, imagining that it actually came from Marlin, delivered by Jill. With this fantasy in mind, she hugged the necklace close and rode out the overwhelming wave of blushing heat and fluttering in her heart.


	12. Friends With Lumina

Fall 12th

At 2:00 p.m., Claire spat her free, flowing hair out of her mouth for the fifteenth time, coping with a tickling breeze that felt more and more like a jump into an icy lake as time passed. She walked along the paved crossroads, carrying her backpack in her arms instead of on her shoulders, lest she should crush any of the wild vegetation she had gathered. The trees began to look "beautiful", as fans of autumn foliage would probably say. Jill loved that sort of thing, but Claire was all about the green of spring and summer.

One thing Claire loved immediately was the abundance of edible mushrooms. She wouldn't admit to Jill that she'd been sneaking peeks at the leather-bound field guide in the house, but she had grown so fond of eating mushrooms that it was critical to determine the poisonous ones. Once every few days she would rest her tired body beneath the massive tree by the Goddess Pond, open her bag and pop a few brown mushrooms into her mouth. The loved the meaty, spongy fleshiness and the earthy flavor, and yearned for the day she'd be able to eat them buttered up and over rice.

But today she kept up another newly-acquired good habit: making time crunch, saving daylight. Much as she hated to admit it, time was money. Jill praised her for being able to pack up all the shippable farm goods before Takakura even came out for his morning walks. Today, with a few hours to spare before her afternoon deadline, Claire saw no harm in taking a good look at the actual _town_ for once.

On the right side of the main strip, she passed three homes. Dr. Hardy straight up gave her the chills, and it was a combination of childish fear and genuine intuition that led Claire to believe he was no war veteran, and he had to keep his eye covered and walk in a limping gait because of something else. Then next door, there was a stressed businessman of some sort, Grant, with crushed self-esteem and a bratty daughter who was hellacious. Claire watched him return home in horrible posture late at night a few times, and wished she could console him. There were never any "right words" for him, unfortunately. The last house was one Claire equally wished to avoid as well as the others -- Jill's crazy fitness friends. A skinny, nimble instructor who obviously wanted his kid to be proficient in all possible Olympic sports, and a health-nut wife. Just thinking about them gave her shin splints.

Another path branched off after that. Claire had completely forgotten that there was a mansion just after that right turn, and had never seen it before. She admired a multi-tiered spewing water fountain that sat in front of what was, without question, the most elegant home in the valley. Why would someone build something so grand in a place like this? Three stories with large windows, the body of the mansion gleaming with a gold that sparkled in the autumn sunlight, and an intricate roof in the proudest shade of red.

One window on the first floor was left halfway-open. An expensive ceramic pot filled with blue and red flowers adorned the windowsill, and it was teased by the billowing skirt of the residents' crimson curtains. Claire heard a stream of musical notes played like a quiet whisper on a piano. The music would stop erratically, then start up again, never continuing longer than maybe ten seconds. Without thinking, Claire found herself seated on the edge of the fountain, leaning far forward to avoid being sprayed, her ear pointed up to catch the elusive melody. Then there was a high-pitched, girlish sigh.

The front double-doors creaked open, and Claire had missed it. As she had been listening, red and brown leaves fluttered to the ground in breathtaking grace, as if Nature itself was dancing to music.

'_How very like Gustafa to think something like that, actually_.'

"Excuse me, good lady," a girl's voice addressed her. "May I help you in some way?"

Claire turned her head and caught sight of a girl with honey-like cropped hair, smoothened and held in place with a yellow headband, not a strand out of place. Her body was still young and girlish, with limited curve beneath a classy polo shirt and pressed plaid slacks.

"Oh, um… I… sorry." Claire jumped to her feet as her backpack slid off her lap, a few mushrooms plopping down onto the elegant pavement. "I just didn't know where I was, and then I heard the really lovely music, and then… yeah. Sorry."

The girl's olive eyes widened in interest, her round cheeks lifting a little as she gave a modest grin.

"You liked my music?"

"Yeah. It's good. I wish I had cool skills like that."

"Oh, but my piano playing is horrible! I do it as a chore, really. I'd much rather draw pictures, or display paintings. Anything but this." The girl shook her head.

"_I_ liked it. Even if I don't actually know anything about piano… heheh. But it sounded all expert-like to me…. Sorry. I guess I should be leaving now."

"Who are you?"

"Oh, uh, my name is Claire. I recently moved here over the summer. I'm just on that crappy farm down the road."

The young girl pouted a little and crossed her arms. "I'm always the last to know about everything around here. Now I don't even know when new people arrive. Won't you come in? My grandmother's not home, and I'm positively _dying_ for someone else's company, especially another girl like myself."

"Are you sure?" Claire bent to retrieve her mushrooms and re-fasten the buckle on her knapsack. Yet another crappy thing she needed to have replaced. Clearly such a refined home was not her place to be at this moment. It was so frustrating that not too long ago she lived in a home that was well-kept and cozy, herself. And now she was reduced to all this.

"I insist! Please!" The girl's eyes begged more than her voice. Claire nodded her head, unsure of whether or not she should bow or do something fancy like that, and remembered to remove her dirty shoes on the way in.

"My name is Lumina. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Lumina bowed her own head and stepped back, allowing Claire to take a good look. "I'm afraid we don't have much here, but do make yourself welcome."

"I feel so honored." Claire beamed, half in embarrassment, taking in all the different floral patterns and deep, vibrant colors. Lumina led her up such a steep staircase that Claire was afraid to look back down. Together they were swimming in striking hues, potpourri smells, and chandelier light.

"This," Lumina said, opening the door to a lavish bedchamber decorated with doilies, roses, wallpaper that could have been framed in a museum, and thick, curly soft carpet. A massive four-poster bed with the most intricate of wooden carvings stood to the side, and Lumina led her to a cute tea-table in the center, pulling out two footstool-sized seats. Claire confirmed that Lumina lived in a life-sized dollhouse.

She dared not touch the silver teapot or the cute rose-and-ivy patterned teacups, just let Lumina gracefully handle everything naturally, and Claire gazed around at the vanity and the dressers, lined with jewelry boxes, gigantic plush teddy bears, and gleaming, polished academic awards.

"I hope you like hot cocoa," Lumina said shyly, her tiny hands reaching for Claire's teacup. Lumina had an amazing finesse for movement, her manners so impeccable that Claire knew there was no way she could keep up.

"Hot cocoa would be awesome. So. What do you want to talk about?"

Lumina opened a tin of sugared shortbread biscuits. "Anything and everything. I have a little less than an hour before my grandmother comes back, at which time she will have to find me seated at the piano, as if I'd been there the whole time. Tell me all about you."

"Well…" Claire swiped her hands up and down the legs of her overalls self-consciously. What could she possibly be so interested in? "I'm actually from Flower Bud Village. I'm an Agricultural Science student at the community college, so basically I'm trying things out with my roommate on that old farm."

"How fascinating!" Lumina exclaimed, folding her hands together and setting her chin on them, long eyelashes fluttering as she blinked. "Let's play a game." From beneath the table, she reached down and her fingers lightly brushed Claire's ankle. Claire watched as she slid out what appeared to be a hat box. The younger girl retrieved a handful of index cards and began shuffling them. Puzzled, Claire only raised her eyebrows.

"This will be a fun way to pass the time. I'll use these flashcards and we can ask and answer trivia questions about ourselves!" A light blush rose to Lumina's cheeks, and she hummed as she continued shuffling.

"Ready? Go! Okay. Birthday?"

"Summer 12th," Claire said, shrugging.

"Favorite food?"

"I dunno, uh… pizza?"

"Flower?"

"Red Magic Grass."

This went on for about twenty minutes, after which Claire's responses seemed a lot less animated. Behind her, Lumina's curtains waved and sent a chilling breeze down her neck. Fall was coming, and with the coming of fall…. Deep in her stomach, there was also a twinge of guilt. Jill might be waiting for her at home just now, with an exciting announcement, or a snack from town, or maybe she might even be having a bad day, and badly needed someone to talk to…. Claire pictured Jill in the house alone, confused whenever she had nothing to do, staring into space pretending everything was fine.

"Well, based on these results, we have about eighty-three percent compatibility," Lumina informed her, patting Claire's hand gingerly with her own. "It's likely that we shall become close to even best friends!… Claire, dear. Is something on your mind?"

Claire drained the rest of her hot cocoa. Rich and soothing though the creamy taste was, she couldn't hide her facial expression from Lumina, not while sitting this close with their knees touching each other under the tiny table.

"It's just… my roommate, Jill. My friend. After answering those questions, I thought about _her_ favorite things, and… I forgot that her birthday's coming up soon."

"Oh?" This seemed to spark Lumina's interest. "Don't feel bad. It's a good thing you remembered all of a sudden. What will you do to celebrate? Do you want to throw a party here at the mansion?"

Claire stood up slowly and gestured at her overalls. "Um, Lumina… no offense, but Jill and I are a little too… uh…"

Lumina giggled and waved her hands. "Don't be silly. I understand. No need to be uncomfortable about it. I'll tell you what. If I can help provide snacks and things, will you hold it at the Inn?"

Now _that_ was a strange question.

"The Inn? Why?"

"Well… it's like this." Lumina demurely held her hands together in her lap, then tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "My grandmother… you know, Romana… she doesn't seem to want to let me go there. All those people. She's rather old-fashioned, you see, and so the Inner Inn isn't a place where she'd ideally want me to socialize."

Claire nodded and pursed her lips in thought. "I see."

"So, I thought… if I could sneak out and bring a nice gift, it could be so much fun, and a big surprise. Then I can get better acquainted with your friend. And… have some friends of my own." Lumina's voice fell, and her gaze immediately moved to the empty windowsill.

"Absolutely. We'd love to get to know you more."

"Just… one more thing."

"And what's that?"

Fifteen minutes later, Claire marveled at the expanded open doors of Lumina's wooden wardrobe, complete with different types of mirrored panels, clothes hangers, and lights. She blinked, reviewing her reflection, standing in a ruffled white dress with a red handkerchief tied into a square knot across her chest. Lumina had brushed her sunny blond hair back evenly and secured it with one of her headbands.

"You look so sweet," Lumina admired her breathlessly. "You can come over and do this anytime you want. I have catalogues if you want to order some of these on your own."

Claire felt sad to leave the mansion behind, back in her overalls with her bag weighing her down as she hurried up the path to the farm, but not without waving to Lumina, who went back to her piano and watched from the window as Claire took her leave. Hastily and without much care, she dumped the contents of her bag into the shipping bin and sprinted her way into the farmhouse, the door crashing against the door with a loud _bang _as she flung it open.

"Hm? What's the trouble?" Jill looked up at her, seated on an overturned crate and thumbing through the pages of her notebook.

"Jill!" Claire panted, dropped her bag and nearly tripped over the dog as she approached her friend. "Are you okay? Did you need anything else from me today? Did I forget something?"

"No," Jill replied casually, her ponytail bobbing a little when she shook her head. Immediately she returned to perusing her notebook, crossing out tasks that had been completed. "You're being weird today."

"Sorry, I just -- I forgot about the time, and for some reason I really wanted to see you." Claire's chest heaved and her nostrils flared as she fought to catch her breath. Jill took notice and eyed her strangely, sweeping her gaze up and down.

"I think you're dehydrated and you're being affected in the brain there," Jill muttered, getting up and tossing her notebook down with impatience. "I warned you about that. I'll get you some water."

"What's wrong with missing you a little bit?" Claire asked in a tiny whisper, making certain that Jill couldn't hear her.


	13. Jill's Birthday Party

Fall 15th

The Inner Inn

Claire had become a nervous wreck in just a little over one hour. At eight-something in the evening, her eyes were twitching, flitting from the clock to all the clusters of guests huddled in their comfort circles around the well-lit lobby. In one corner there was Griffin chatting with Gustafa and Nami with punch glasses filled with goodness-knows-what, then there was Muffy darting about until she settled in another corner talking to Marlin. Vesta stood with Celia at a center table that was nearly bare, with the exception of a veggie tray. Rock stood up on a couch, desperate for his lame jokes to be heard, and not even the most gullible of people were paying him any attention. Flora and Carter were the unlucky ones seated next to him on that couch, rolling their eyes. And Jill? Jill stood next to the door that led into Ruby's kitchen, standing casually with her hands in her pocket.

"You gonna make it, kid?" Takakura addressed her, nudging her a bit with his elbow. "You look worried sick over something." The old man managed something close to a smile, the deep creases in his face remaining rigid, a few beads of sweat from his daily walk clinging to his thick mass of black hair. He clutched the white towel that hung around his neck. "I haven't been to a birthday party in ages. Here I am trying to feel young again while you're here acting_ my_ age!"

Claire gave a hollow laugh. "Eh… well… we haven't been here long, and here we are starting up our own social event. I never expected to meet so many people in this amount of time. Also I'm worried about whether or not Jill's having any fun."

"You need a drink to calm you down? How 'bout a cigar?"

Claire shuddered, fingering her purple necklace. "Thanks but no thanks. Glad you could make it, though. I'm sorry we haven't spent too much time with our own _neighbor_; I mean, you're there in your little house on the farm and I don't see you having much time to enjoy yourself."

Takakura cleared his throat of something before answering. "Well, Jill is actually so good at balancing budgets and planning things, you know. She deserves this more than anyone. Besides, I'd take watching you two work hard over a party with the whole village _any _day." He put his palm on the crown of her head and rubbed her hair affectionately. "You're good kids. Now if you'll excuse me, I think Griffin and Muffy brought over their Secret Punch."

"Hey! Who wants to try my famous ranch dip?" Vesta hollered from the bottom of her healthy lungs, her plump body planted in the very same spot since the party began.

"It's really good!" Celia added. Only one or two people shuffled over to grab a celery stick or two. Claire followed suit and didn't hesitate for a second in shoveling in as much dip and vegetables as her mouth could hold. And Claire didn't even like carrot sticks that much.

"Claire," Celia half-whispered in a worried look that matched her own. "I wish I had brought more snacks! There's not much of anything here!"

"Well, I heard that thanks to a _certain someone_," Claire responded, winking one eye in Rock's direction, "there was a tiny accident in the kitchen and Ruby's a little late with the triangle sandwiches. I hope no one's starving!"

"Looks like _you_ are," Vesta teased. "Slow down before you choke, hon. I'm glad you like it, but go check out some of that punch Griffin made. You've gotta learn to _relax_."

Claire seemed to have set herself on auto-pilot, making a rapid beeline motion to the cluster of people in one corner. Gustafa and Nami were giggling at some anecdote of Griffin's, and the three of them turned to look at her in an instant.

"Well hey, Miss Popular," Nami commented. "We thought you'd _never_ come to say hi to us."

"Sorry," Claire said. "Just a bit nervous, that's all."

"It's a birthday party!" exclaimed Gustafa, who was wearing a special arrangement of blue and red fall flowers in his green hat. "There's nothing to be stressed about. When should I play my best songs?"

"Oh, anytime you want," Claire replied flatly, feeling ashamed that the turning feelings in her stomach wouldn't allow her to listen to even a few notes of his music.

Griffin smiled at her kindly, immediately arranging a glass of bubbly pink punch. "What's got you so worked up tonight, if I may ask?"

Claire looked around for any sign of someone listening in, her hair swishing around her neck. Deciding that now was a "safe" time, she pulled her three comrades inward by the sleeves of their shirts, and poured out her concerns in a harsh but whiny whisper.

"Oh _God_, you guys, this is driving me crazy! We're running low on food, and I feel all awkward not knowing what the hell to _say_ to anyone, and Jill's standing in the corner for some stupid reason, and the worst part is… _I didn't get her a freaking gift_!" she finished in a high-pitched squeak.

Gustafa's optimistic smile froze that way, and he stood soundlessly for several seconds. Nami puffed her cheeks out and blew a slow sigh.

"Uh-ohhhh," Griffin sang. In a flash, Nami's hand made a lightning-fast transfer from the inside of her plaid vest to Griffin's jeans pocket.

"You know what to do," Nami instructed him in a dark, low voice.

"Got it," Griffin signaled back in a sympathetic voice. "Claire… let's go outside."

Claire nodded and followed him without thinking, her heart fluttering a little bit. She realized that she did have friends that she could trust, and they weren't just mere friendly acquaintances. Somehow in their company, the words just flowed and she had no fear of possible repercussions.

The light from the inside of the Inn was still a little blinding as they stepped out into the crisp coolness, insects chirping from within the tall grass. Laughter could still be heard, but it would drown out their conversation quite nicely, whatever this was about.

"I just wanted you to know that originally it wasn't _me_ who wanted to corrupt you this way," Griffin said with a chuckle, reaching into his pocket.

"Huh?"

Griffin handed her a cigarette. She stared at it, a slender tube-like piece of white, soft chalk, squishy and kind of foamy in its white filter that separated from tobacco-filled paper by a band of gold paint.

"I should so _not_ be doing this," Claire giggled nervously as she accepted the lighter.

"Nami's idea," Griffin told her. "She saw that you were lookin' a little uneasy, and kept sayin', 'That girl needs a cigarette'. So forgive me. Here, let me help you." Griffin settled the cigarette into Claire's mouth, scaring her a little as a tiny flame ignited just a tiny distance from the tip of her nose. Claire took it out of her mouth and examined it, the tip glowing orange as a thin line of smoke danced and twirled into the air. Griffin promptly instructed her on her first few drags -- how to draw in a breath, hold it in, suck it in slowly with closed teeth, and _release_. Claire coughed a little at first, her throat and chest mysteriously scratchy, a coppery taste in her mouth, and felt a tingling rush by the time she was finished. The stars and clouds in the evening sky rotated all around her head, and her body felt so heavy she desperately needed to sit down. But it felt so _great_!

"_Griffin_! What the hell are you doing to that girl?" Muffy's voice rang out. Claire and Griffin turned around to find her standing next to Marlin, having their own outside discussion.

"Hey, man. Don't do that," Marlin commented, though unable to hide the amused look on his face.

"Just this one time," Griffin answered, holding his hands up in an innocent fashion. "Nami said she needed something for her stress. She's kind of freaking out on us in there."

"Did something happen?" Marlin inquired with widened eyes. Claire snuck a glance at how well he fit into his long-sleeved white-and-black plaid shirt and black jeans. He would look so irresistible riding up to her farm on a horse to ask her out on a date. As if….

"I'm just… minus a birthday gift. Me being the one person who should really remember," Claire admitted. "God, I just feel horrible."

"You didn't just… _forget_, did you?" Muffy asked with a hand on her hip, waving away the smoke and pretending to be able to ignore it.

"No, no. I just don't know what to get her. Gift-shopping for her is like gift-shopping for a _guy_," Claire burst, causing Griffin and Marlin to chuckle.

"We'll try to figure something out in the time that we have," Griffin reassured her. "But are you two okay? Is there something going on?"

"Marlin just had a little something on his mind," Muffy said in a motherly tone, patting Marlin's shoulder as the younger man scowled.

"I'm fine," he muttered. "I've just got a bit of a headache, that's all. You guys figure out what to do, and I'll go say hi to the birthday girl. If you want I'll get Gustafa to make a distraction and buy you guys more time."

"Thanks," Claire gushed, sighing in strong release as she held the door open for them.

She stood with Griffin in silence for a few moments, watching him only sip his punch from time to time. The short stump of a cigarette had died out a long while ago, and Claire strongly disliked the aftertaste sitting in her mouth, pungent and bitter. She could even follow this up with more carrots and celery.

"At least you threw her a good party, right?" Griffin finally suggested.

Claire sighed. "I don't know what to do. I'm thinking maybe I should save up some money and get a belated make-up gift from Van's little business, if he's ever open."

"You don't wanna do that. His stuff's expensive."

"I know, but… ahh… I'm not sure how else to make it up to her."

"Sometimes," Griffin spoke calmly, looking up to the sky in a state of peace, "when you've been friends with someone long enough, gifts really don't matter at all. Just remembering a birthday and being there with that person is perfect enough. Trust me, as old as I am, I definitely know."

About ten minutes later, Claire had been seated on an empty couch with Nami, Gustafa, and Griffin when the door to the Inn's entrance swung open again, and someone in a purple velvet cloak and shiny black loafers strolled in bearing a rectangular-shaped cake, the width of which was larger than that of the table.

"_LUMINA?!_" the crowd shouted in surprise when the guest pulled back the hood of her cloak.

"Can--can someone help me set this down?" she stuttered.

"My goodness dear! What a surprise that you've come!" a middle-aged woman with cropped black hair exclaimed. Ruby, the manager of this hotel, came waddling forth to help, then shuffled backward with one end of the cake in her hands before lowering it onto the table.

"It's marble," Lumina explained, unfastening the black clip of her traveling cloak. "I wasn't sure whether everyone preferred vanilla or chocolate."

"Won't you get in trouble if Romana finds out that you're here?" Muffy asked bravely, patting Lumina's shoulder. "We'll all be guilty culprits in some way."

"Don't worry about it." Lumina smiled as she tried to catch her breath. "Anything for a friend of a friend," she added, waving at Jill. "I asked Sebastian to make a special lasagna for dinner, and that'll distract my grandmother from anything."

"Let's get the birthday girl on over here then!" Vesta yelled. Jill came forth and the entire lobby broke out into the birthday song. Jill's embarrassed face glowed from candlelight. She bowed her head low in concentration as she made her wish. Everyone in the crowd held their breath in anticipation before she finally blew out her candles.

"Claire! What a lovely necklace you're wearing!" Lumina gasped, holding her hands up to her face. "Would you be willing to trade that for something of mine one day? I can't help it -- I adore the color! At least tell me where you got it!"

"Actually," Claire whispered hurriedly, "got anything that I can use for an emergency birthday gift, in exchange for this necklace?"

"I have just the thing." Lumina dug into the pocket of her purple traveling cloak and showed Claire a bracelet, sky blue and glistening from many coats of polish. "I packed in a friendship bracelet just in case."

"Deal."

"I'm always prepared for such emergencies," Lumina gloated. "I'll just slip my card and money into her gift pile when no one's watching."

"You're a lifesaver," Claire said, pulling her friend into a hug. Finally she spotted Jill, silently standing a distance from the crowd, a paper plate and slice of cake in her hands.

"Happy birthday!" she exclaimed. "Are you going to open your gifts now?"

"Soon, very soon." Sections of Jill's face were pink with both joy and embarrassment. "Hey, will you do me a favor? Can you take this cake for me? I'm going to go upstairs for a moment. All this excitement makes me have to go to the bathroom."

"Sure," Claire complied, licking her lips at the sight of the royal blue trim of frosting around the cake's edge. "I _love _marble." Before tasting a bite of it, she watched Jill hurry up the staircase to the Inn's second floor, catching a glimpse of a daydreamy, blissful smile spreading across her friend's face. Poor bashful Jill. Always doing nice things for other people, but she never had a clue what to do for herself.

"Hey… u-uhhh… um… hey." Rock's voice drifted over from a few feet away. He stood trembling a little, almost dropping his plate of cake on Lumina's shoes. Either that weird boy got a serious sunburn at the end of the summer, or he was turning lobster-red now that one girl finally gave him a little attention. Claire's eyes followed that cherry-tomato color from his neck all the way up to his blond hairline.

"Good evening," Lumina replied, for some reason refusing to look at his face.

"You look very… uhhh… want some cake?" Rock thrust the plate at her, and Lumina gracefully snatched it just a split-second before blue frosting smeared all over the dandelion-yellow she wore.

"Thank you. You look quite nice yourself. I love a crisp polo shirt. Your collar looks so stylish."

Claire stifled back a laugh with her hand and came up behind Lumina, whispering, "This operation was a success. I'll have to thank you and pay you back later, but I see you found your reward!"

At the end of the night, Claire had barely seen much more of Jill's face at all. For each "thank you" during the gift-opening, Jill's face colored deeper and deeper, and then that was about it. Claire finally emptied a few glasses of Griffin and Muffy's Secret Punch, had many closing conversations with their friends, and walked home with Jill feeling so sleepy that she couldn't remember exchanging words with her at all.


	14. Accident

Fall 17th

"I know I shouldn't be having this for breakfast, but I can't help myself. You don't think Lumina actually baked this_herself_, did she?" Jill asked, seated in a manly fashion atop her overturned crate, digging into a large chunk of leftover cake. The two girls still lived in an empty room, and with no funds for at least a refrigerator, the cake would have to be eaten quickly.

Claire licked a dollop of blue icing off her finger. "Who knows. Rich people work in mysterious ways. She could easily afford rush delivery service from Flower Bud, or maybe that Sebastian guy really is that good at the culinary arts." She was sitting cross-legged on their freshly swept floor, wondering why their dog Moon hadn't come by to beg for scraps yet. Their little brown farm mutt was scampering about near the bed, gnawing and clawing at something they could barely recognize.

"Moon-chan! What's that in your mouth, little baby?" Claire called to him. She noticed white strings stuck between his teeth and his nails, something damp and red in his mouth. Red with green and gold flashes on it.

"That's my party hat," Jill said with a chunk of cake in her mouth.

"No, Moon-chan, no!"

"He's not going to give it up, you know. Maybe he wants his own birthday party."

An abrupt knock at the door startled the tiny household, causing Claire and Jill to jump. Jill looked to the window instead, noticing that sunrise hadn't even come yet. The sky was still deep violet, and both the girls' eyelids were still heavy from waking only about ten minutes ago. Somehow Moon still managed to bark like crazy even with a wad of cardboard cone in his mouth.

"I'll get that," Jill told her, carrying her plate with her. Though they would have to surrender a little bit of pocket money to replace the dying light bulb, Claire could still see the azure bracelet sparkling on her friend's wrist.

"Leftover cake? Can I have some?" Takakura stood there with a warm smile, something rarely seen.

"O'course you can," Jill replied while still chewing, using one hand to brush back her messy hair. "Sorry, we just woke up a few minutes ago. Something up?"

"No, not really. I just thought you might like to know that a very large and very special delivery arrived today." Takakura craned his neck, peeking in and frowning at Claire wrestling with the little dog.

"Oh? But we didn't order anything."

"I think you should probably come out and see for yourself."

Moon was fighting desperately to keep his newfound snack, so Claire scooped him up into her arms and followed her friends outside. In the fall it was even colder when it was dark, and goosebumps formed on her arms. Moon stopped squirming in her arms when he discovered the towering creature staring back at him, shadowy and frightening. He began to whimper.

"Oh my GOD!" Jill exclaimed, dropping her plate into the grass. Claire hung her mouth open, dumbstruck, and Moon fell from her arms with a tiny bark, but sniffed and licked at the blue, marble mush in the grass.

Claire and Jill trembled side-by-side, and not just from the cold. Subconsciously they held hands tightly as they gaped in wonder at the massive structure in front of them. From the cute twitching of his pointed ears to the white stripe on his nose, to his rough dirt-colored mane and tail, all the way down to dusty, graying black hooves, with each glance Claire could tell that Jill was falling deeper and deeper in love.

Takakura had bought them a horse.

"He's such a fine one, too. He's well-behaved, a little bit curious, and I haven't been able to feed him anything that he doesn't like. Take a look at that coat. In the daylight he almost has a rusty, copper color. Kinda like a shiny penny, which I won't deny -- he cost a great many of those," Takakura gloated, patting the beast on his muscular side. The horse only looked around the farm with gigantic, glossy innocent black eyes. He had a natural expression that, from any angle, looked very close to a human-like smile.

Jill's eyes were swimming with tears.

"Takakura-san," she said politely in a quivering voice full of emotion, "if this is your idea of a late birthday present, I really cannot accept--"

"What, are you kidding? If I wanted to buy you a fancy birthday present, I'd buy you a doll," Takakura teased. "But you're a big girl now anyway, and you've shipped over a thousand items from this very farm. I have to reward you two for all your hard work and all the revenue you've brought in. I was waiting patiently for the day we could afford to get a horse just like this one."

"I--I--"

"Thank you very, very much. And I mean, _so_ much," Claire addressed him. "Trust me, we'll take exceptional care of him, even if we have a lot to learn about horses."

"What's the matter?" Takakura lifted a finger and pointed to the streams of tears flowing freely down Jill's cheeks. "Did she always want a pony when she was a kid or something?"

"He's so _beautiful_!" Jill whispered, approaching the horse carefully and reaching out to touch his slender face.

"No need to thank me with tears, sweetheart. Now I'm getting a little overwhelmed!"

Jill flung her arms around Takakura, nearly knocking him over onto the lawn. Moon finally dropped the cardboard birthday hat and sniffed his way up to the horse, mouth and nose covered in icing, and barked up at it in a way that Claire couldn't tell was threatening or cordial.

"He's used to smaller animals, so don't worry. He probably thinks Moon-chan is a little baby for him to look after," Takakura explained good-humouredly, offering Jill his white towel for her tears.

"I'm--I'm going to go buy every horse book I can get my hands on," Jill choked. "Thank you…"

"Wave bye-bye to your little playground," Claire told Moon, picking him up and waving his little paw up and down in the direction of the empty stable.

"I finally have a real farm," Jill sang out loud, twirling and dancing around the stable as the horse watched in confusion. Pages of old books fluttered around in the dirt and hay as the girl spun. "A full coop of chickens, a sheep, a cow, and now this beautiful creature!"

Claire sat down on an overturned metal bucket, thumbing through handfuls of loose pages.

"I wonder what kind of horse he is," she commented.

"Who cares? He's so strong and so pretty! He's the champion of my dreams!" Jill dunked a brush into a bucket full of water and overflowing with bubbling soap suds.

Claire rolled her eyes and tried to focus on studying the books. There was no doubt in her mind that Jill would treat him with complete devotion and tend to him as if he was a new husband, but Claire wanted to be able to help if there was ever a situation. Did Jill know that aspirin powder came in apple flavor? Or how to treat dry hoof? Or how much a quality blanket would cost in winter, which by the way was just around the corner?

"I loooove youuuuu," Jill cooed, resting her cheek against the horse's, soap and water pouring down her clothes as the colt blinked and made gentle sputtering noises.

Claire swore that if she rolled her eyes one more time, they might just fall right out of her head. Instead she sighed and followed Moon out of the stable.

"Looks like I've got the other animals for today. And the crops. You're welcome, Jill!" she called over her shoulder.

"Whew! Finally," Claire sighed, sealing off a fresh jug of Momoko's warm milk and giving the cow a thorough petting. "Don't worry, you guys. Jill loves you all equally, no matter what," she added with clenched teeth. Momoko and Snowy still looked at her without any sign of comprehension, just thankful for the food and the attention no matter whom it came from.

Moon, Claire's little helper and supervisor, lifted his nose to the air and began to bark. Claire silenced him and moved closer to the doors of the barn, leaning against the dirty, splintering wall and listening intently.

"Oh, _cool_! I want a horse too! How much did it cost? Can he play fetch yet?"

Claire didn't have to look, didn't even have to recognize the juvenile voice, to figure out who that was.

"Hey, um… I don't think you can just up and buy a horse at any time. And I've never played fetch with a horse before--" Jill responded in a worried tone.

"Hey, you big dummy! Look at _me_! Wanna give me a ride around the farm?"

"Rock, _no_, don't -- hey -- DON'T FREAKING DO THAT!"

Claire gasped and flung the doors open, freezing in her tracks at the sight of a particular blond idiot lying on the open field, flailing and deciding to huddle in a fetal position. The horse's eyes reflected panic and fear, rearing up on his hind legs and doing what looked like a bicycle motion with the front two. He cried out in a loud whinny.

"OWF!" Rock called out as the horse's hoof met his upper arm at a glancing angle.

"What the FREAK!" Claire screamed, running up to the scene of the accident and placing her hands on her hips. "Jill! Do you know how to calm him down?"

"I'm trying," Jill called back, bravely stepping in front of the colt and cooing to him in hushed tones. "Easy, boy, I'm here. Calm down. He's not going to hurt you, he's just retarded…"

Claire grunted in anger and bent to drag the boy away. Rock was trembling and whimpering as grass and dirt smeared his expensive, brightly-colored clothes. When they were several feet away, Claire had a mind to kick him hard in the shins, but hesitated. Moon came running up, thinking there was a game he was missing out on, but Claire shielded him with her foot.

"And what the hell do you think you were doing?" Claire demanded, towering over him with her arms crossed.

"I want my hacky-sack back!" Rock whined, arms still bent over his head.

"Your _hacky-sack_? Don't tell me…"

"How was I supposed to know that horses are so dumb?"

"We just got him this morning, you dumbass! What the hell were you trying to _do_?"

"I thought he knew how to fetch. And he didn't. So I thought I'd try the only thing that horses are good for, riding!"

Claire narrowed her eyes. "You threw your stupid bean bag at him and then you tried to climb on him like a freaking jungle gym. You're lucky you didn't get trampled to an unrecognizable pulp."

Jill had finally led the colt back into the stable and came out with her skin pale as a bed sheet, wringing her hands in anxiety. She lifted her finger and pointed to someone who had come to help… or possibly sue.

"Hey, guys. Have you seen -- WHAT THE--!" Nami held her hands up to her mouth and gaped in horror at Rock moaning and writhing on the ground.

"It was an accident," Claire explained. "We're so sorry. He wanted to play with our new horse, and--"

Nami held her hand up and interrupted. "Whatever happened, it's totally my fault and I apologize. I told him to go and hit on someone else, and had the feeling he'd end up here. That little dill-hole is not to be trusted by himself." She walked toward the boy and nudged him hard with her boot. "Get up, you wuss."

"Actually, the fact that he's okay is amazing in itself," Jill said timidly, shame and guilt written all over her young face. "I've heard worse stories of what happens when you frighten a horse."

"I for one don't blame your horse at all," Nami commented. Claire nodded her head in agreement.

"But this probably means we'll have to ask Takakura to take him back." They could easily tell that Jill's heart was breaking. She'd only had a few hours of joy, and now that was completely ruined.

"Not if I can help it," Nami told her sympathetically. "Let's just get him to Doctor Hardy, and then sooner or later we'll all be able to forget that this even happened."

"I'm not going to the doctor!" Rock wailed childishly. "I can't be seen there!"

Nami nodded to Claire, and they each took one end. Rock protested as they lifted him off the ground and made their way toward the dirt path leading down into the town.

"It's not a long distance," Nami grunted, disliking the weight. "Jill, go to the Inner Inn and get yourself a cup of coffee. Tell Ruby that it's on me. We'll meet up with you there later."

"Ow! Oh! The _pain_!"

Claire and Nami exchanged worried looks when they re-entered the clinic ten minutes after delivering the heavy, pompous patient. Rock lay on the bed in the corner with a flower-patterned bandage taped at an angle across his forehead, his shirt open to reveal an eggplant-colored bruise just beneath the sleeve of his white cotton T-shirt.

"No need to be overly-concerned. He's just a bit of a crybaby. An _annoying_ one," Dr. Hardy complained in his gruff voice.

"How long will he need to fully recover?" Claire inquired.

"Oh, not long. Not long at all. Not much I can do for something like this, but I supplied him with aspirin." Hardy shrugged, sliding off his fancy executive-style chair, his short stature barely reaching Claire and Nami's shoulders.

"Hmph," Nami grunted. "All right then. Time to get him back to his mama."

"Oh, and this visit costs only 1500 gold."

"Only?" Nami opened her wallet and paid the doctor, mumbling under her breath while Claire helped Rock to his feet.

"I bet Mommy will make me a big sandwich for being so brave," Rock said.

Jill was seated on the couch with her head in her hands, a steaming cup of coffee on the side table next to her. Ruby was doctoring hers with generous amounts of powdered creamer and sugar when the doors swung open and she saw her son using the blonde farmer as a crutch.

"Oh, my sweet little baby boy," Ruby said, her voice iced over with sarcasm. "I heard all about what happened and Jill's beating herself up over this."

"Mommy," Rock moaned with a pathetic smile, his eyes gleaming with feigned innocence.

"You go on up to your room and I'll bring you something whenever I feel like it," Ruby instructed him firmly. Then she sighed. "Oh, girls. I'm so sorry. I wouldn't even blink an eye if you tell him not to ever go to your farm again. Just say the word and I'll keep him away."

"No need to go that far," Claire answered. "I won't hold too much against him because he really _didn't _know what he was doing."

Nami sat on the couch next to Jill and began massaging the brunette's shoulders. "Hey, don't be like that. It was definitely not your fault, you know. You gotta admit that was pretty damn funny, huh? Huh?" Nami held her hand up for a high-five. "You're gonna leave me hanging like that?"

"Nami, dear," Ruby addressed her. "Would you mind checking the labels on Rock's prescription? I don't need him getting jolly highs off his painkillers."

"Will do." The redhead got up and carried the brown paper bag into the kitchen.

"And Jill. You'll find something that'll cheer you right up, just waiting for you upstairs."

Jill seemed to have caught some hidden meaning, and nodded before heading up the staircase.

"Claire," Ruby explained. "Don't you worry about a thing. The situation has begun to right itself already. You have yourself a cup of coffee if you like, but Jill's going to take awhile up there. She should be home in a couple of hours."

"Thanks." Claire took Jill's place on the couch as Ruby gave her a tiny tray bearing creamer and sugar. Claire carelessly glanced at Jill's abandoned coffee cup, took in the aroma, and blew on it a few times before exploring a curious sip. The strong bitterness soiled her tongue, only adding more to the bad taste that the day put in everyone's mouths.


	15. Sickness and a Date?

Fall 20th

Sometimes in passing, Claire would see Flora thinking and resting on this bridge, while she was on her way to an open field near the excavation site. Claire would make her way there slowly, mindful of the heavy axe she carried. Today, though, she wasn't going to chop any wood.

After deciding to try this out for herself, Claire sat down on the opposite side of the bridge, slipping her shoes off and trying to touch the cool stream with her bare foot. Alas, she was still too short to try that without slipping and falling. She watched as a few red and brown leaves parachuted into the stream, frolicking and touching one another as if doing synchronized swimming.

Then she got back to work. She opened up her own spiral-bound notebook and sighed at her neglect of logging very much. When she finished tending to the crops and animals every other morning, she opened this notebook and used it for doodling at the end of her every shift. Claire laughed a little when she spotted drawings of clouds and rainbows, and 'Happy Birthday' in big bubble-letters.

'_Okay. So. With the fodder silo and the wood and stone material sheds done, what next? A second house upgrade means a kitchen, but that's like, a TON of money and materials. Or, if we get a duck pond out of the way now, it'll be usable and filled with ducks by the start of spring. Which inevitably means another bird barn. What would Jill choose first?_'

Claire took out a pencil and began crossing out completed tasks. They had been here for a full season, and Claire had logged nothing. Jill, on the other hand, was taking care of the budget, planning and sketching out dreams of expansion, and logging notes for their project. Claire was so unsure how long they would be staying, and had failed to log anything new she had learned. In her mind, only just a few words summed up her farm experience thus far: labor, pain, fatigue, pain, exhaustion, and _pain_.

As she chewed on the eraser while deep in thought, Claire turned her head and saw Marlin slouching as he made his way into Vesta's shop at a snail's pace. He staggered and swayed on his feet when he stopped, and his head hung low. Claire could only see the beginning traces of a mullet forming at the back of his head. Marlin's slender frame almost hit the door with a thump as he leaned forward against it, one hand fumbling in his pocket for the key. Only seconds passed before Claire could hear heavy, painful wheezing, and caught sight of his chest heaving.

"Hey!" Claire jumped up and made a run for the seed shop in bare feet. "Are you okay?"

"Ughhh," Marlin uttered weakly, his stormy eyes lined with a little yellow and his eyelids swollen and drooping. "Can you help me open this stupid door?"

"Yeah." Claire took the key and bent to further examine him. "What's going on?"

"It's a … long … _long_ story…." Marlin panted. "I'll talk when we get in."

Claire swung the door open hastily and watched as Marlin flicked the light switch and collapsed into the nearest wooden chair.

"Oh, hey. Your notebook."

The blonde farmer turned around and noticed that her shoes were still on the bridge, but her notebook was floating in the stream, spread wide like a drowning victim.

"Oh, _maaan_!" she moaned. "Crap. Ah well. Not like there was anything important written in there anyway."

Marlin sat with his head hanging back over the chair. Claire shut the door behind them and shook off the image of her soaked notebook, looking around and thinking of what to do next.

"Are you just dehydrated, or what? You can't work the field for hours at a time without a bottle of water." Claire located the sink in the corner and began filling him a glass.

"It's not just that," Marlin told her. Beads of sweat dampened his face and neck, and now in the light, his jaundice became more noticeable. Claire imagined his thin body falling to the ground from heat exhaustion, but found no dirt smears on his pea-green shirt or the noodle-thin legs of his tight denim jeans. Marlin reached up and ran his fingers through his dark curls, his wheezing more pronounced. His pink lips were dry and his skin clammy.

"Drink this," Claire commanded, opening his hand and closing his fingers around a glass of cool water, her heart beginning to pound when her hand made contact with his. She felt sorry that she could barely enjoy being alone in his company this way. She pulled up another chair and sat opposite him, studying his appearance intently.

"Thanks." Quickly he began taking large gulps until he had to struggle for breath again. "I think I'll be fine now."

"What happened out there?"

"I just got really tired."

"Dehydrated, right?"

"No, no. I, uh…" Marlin looked around the room before setting the glass down on the table with a hard _thump_. Then his gaze shifted to the floor. "I've been sick for most of my life. Not life-threatening or anything. I'm just prone to running out of breath and getting exhausted easily. Doctor thinks it's anemia or something."

"Where are Celia and Vesta?"

"They had a big delivery to make. They went to Flower Bud. Those two are pretty used to my condition, and only rarely does it get this bad. Good thing you were here, though. Thanks."

Claire blushed, a lump getting caught in her throat. Fortunately it seemed as though he was going to be fine, but now there was no excuse to fall back on. They were alone in this shop once again, and his attention was focused only on her. The right thing to do would have been to back out gracefully and retreat home, but deep down that was the last thing that she wanted.

'_He is so cute,_' she couldn't help thinking. How sweet would it have been if she were brave enough to kiss his damp forehead and wipe his face with a wet cloth? She probably would have fainted, too.

"Oh, I don't mind. I was worried about you."

"You're all right, you know that?" Marlin's strong, oceanic eyes pierced into her shy ones. Claire felt her limbs tightening up when he looked at her. Then he smiled, realizing he was making her nervous.

"Um… thank you?"

"If you feel like doing me one more favor, there's a little orange bottle of white pills in the cupboard. It'll have my name on it. That'll really help me."

Claire did as asked and popped the lid open, shaking two large white pills into her palm.

"These are huge," she said. "Must be hard getting used to swallowing these."

Marlin shrugged, then winced in pain. "Ahh. Damn arms. I hate it when this happens. My arms and legs feel heavy."

"I can help you," Claire whispered. "One or two?"

"Two." Marlin's lips parted, allowing her to place two pills onto his tongue. Then she reached for the glass of water and assisted him, patient as the handsome man downed his medication.

"Sorry. Was that okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks again. Now what kind of favor do I owe you for pretty much _saving_ me?"

"I did nothing like that. I _wanted_ to help." Claire rotated the lid back onto the medicine bottle and turned away to put it back in the cupboard, when she felt something warm clasp onto her wrist. Her heart slammed rapidly inside her chest when she looked down and saw Marlin's long fingers closed around her hand.

"Maybe I _want_ to help you, too," he insisted in that heart-melting masculine voice of his. His eyes were pleading, but his mouth remained straight and expressionless.

"No, really. I'll be fine."

Then, suddenly, a bright idea came and hit her out of absolutely nowhere. Grinning cleverly, she turned around and gave him a friendly smile.

"Actually," she said, "if you don't mind, we could continue that conversation we had last time."

"And what was that?"

Claire thought back to the first time they had become acquainted. It was in this very shop, and he had been in the corner minding his own business. Then they had been left alone, just like this. But now there was no Jill, Celia, or Vesta to come in and interrupt. When Claire looked at Marlin, she remembered some of her very first thoughts about him. Every time there was someone equally as handsome on TV back in Flower Bud, that character would do something spontaneous and romantic, like reach for the female lead, take her hand, and dance with her. Claire's imagination stretched hard before she could picture Marlin with a rose in his mouth. Corny, but still charming, and she wouldn't have said no to something like that. But first things first.

"We were talking about cooking, and how much you like curry."

Marlin chuckled. "Well, it's not like I get to eat it very often. Or at all, lately. Normally Vesta comes up with some kind of vegetable casserole. I have to depend on Celia if we're going to have any meat at the table at all."

"Really?"

"Would you believe that as big as my sister is, she's actually a vegetarian?" As he said this, Claire caught a mischievous twinkle in his color-changing eye.

"I see why _you're_ so skinny," Claire teased.

"Oh, ha-ha. Like I've never heard that one before. If you and everyone else don't like me being so skinny, then maybe you should cook me a meal." He winked.

"You owe me for saving your life, remember?"

Marlin's normal scowl returned, and Claire felt a great rush of relief that everything was fully okay again. And now they were on teasing terms, if that meant anything. Hopefully.

"Fine then. Do you want to get a good meal sometime?"

"Well, you don't cook do you?"

"Ya damn right I don't. But at the Inner Inn, you can have Ruby cook a big tasty dinner if you can afford it."

"How much?"

"I don't wanna say, to be honest."

Claire thought about how much progress she and Jill had been making even in just one season. The two of them had been pinching their hard-earned money out of habit rather than out of any need, and there wasn't much that was _reasonable _that they couldn't afford. Why not?

"Fine then," Claire decided. "What do you say we split the bill?"

"Are you serious?"

"Look. We don't have the tools to cook at home just yet. I'm eating sandwiches and you're eating salads. We're both hungry. Is one good meal worth it?"

"… I guess you're right. Fine. How's tomorrow night then?"

"Whatever works for you works for me."

"See you then." Marlin held out his large, warm hand and Claire turned hers upright for a friendly handshake.

To her surprise, Marlin turned it over, and Claire's heart nearly exploded when she saw him bend his head forward and kiss it. His lips were soft and just as warm as his hands. A sharp tingle shocked her hand and rose its way up her arm and up to her face.

"And thank you," he half-whispered.

She couldn't wait until tomorrow night.


	16. Return of Jack

Fall 20th

Late Evening

Claire and Jill hardly said a word to each other since they had both come home. In the few remaining minutes of daylight they showered, changed, and had dinner. In such a tiny cubicle of a house, one would think that speaking to a roommate was totally inevitable. Never had they spent several hours together in complete silence, except for when they slept at night.

Jill watched the weather report and returned to her notebook. Claire sat on the bed, not even tired yet, with Moon in her lap and the black cat Pepper lazily napping beside them. Tonight Claire discovered the TV Shopping channel, which advertised something interesting every few minutes, even though Claire had no idea why the people on the show were dressed like little gnomes. The sky must have been extraordinary clear tonight, for them to have suddenly picked up this extra channel.

Since the early afternoon, Claire of course was daydreaming about what would happen when she went to dinner with Marlin tomorrow night. This time she'd make sure that they would_really_ get to know each other, and she was scheming of all the brilliant and insightful questions that she just couldn't wait to ask. She wanted to see more Marlin's healthy smile, relive him kissing her hand, and she wanted to dare to do something just as brave and clever. But what was Jill silently thinking about the whole time?

"Hey, did you hear that?"

Maybe tomorrow night she could get the courage to move things forward, and more directly. Maybe she'd be able to tell someone for the first time that she was interested in him, and just maybe that wouldn't frighten him away. Claire never had someone she could seriously refer to as a boyfriend, just a few crushes when she was younger that never led to anything. It surprised her that she would think about this so soon, but to Claire it felt like a new life brought in new opportunities, and new possibilities to approach people. It was perfect -- nobody _truly_ knew her here. She could do anything she wanted and nobody would find it shocking.

"Claire. Did you hear that going on outside?" Jill asked again, looking up from her notebook and breaking her own daydreamy state.

"Oh." Claire sighed. "Sorry. When you said something the first time I thought I was just thinking so hard to myself, it sounded like talking."

Jill pointed to the door. "Someone's talking outside. Takakura and somebody else."

"One of his friends? Or maybe he's doing business?"

"At almost ten at night?" Jill got up and redid her ponytail before opening the door.

Claire hadn't met everyone living in Forget-Me-Not Valley, but the youthful male voice that spoke with Takakura was so distinct. He spoke so clearly, and although he evidently tried to keep it down at this time of night, his voice still rang out with enthusiasm and mirth. Jill stood in the doorway, completely blank and unmoving. She looked as though she had completely forgotten where she was or what she was doing. Claire got up and nudged her aside to get a better look.

"Oh, man! I remember that! Hahaha! I can't believe how much time has passed. So much has changed, but so little at the same time. I love being back."

"It's good to have you back," Takakura said.

Takakura was speaking to a man who appeared to be at least twenty. He had a round, clean-shaven face, and chocolate-brunette hair that was combed neatly beneath a giant blue baseball cap that he wore backwards. Yet one thick section of hair stood out from beneath the cap. He wore overalls similar to my own, but cleaner. A red handkerchief was tied into a square knot around his neck, and a durable quality backpack rested against his legs. Apparently he had been standing there for quite some time.

"Oh, look who's still up! Claire! Jill! Come on over; I've got someone for you to meet," Takakura called to them. Jill held on to the doorway for dear life, unwilling to budge. Claire eyed her strangely as she stepped out and looked at the handsome stranger.

"Well hello there," the young man addressed her.

"Hi."

"Claire, Jill, this is Jack. He's just come from Flower Bud." Takakura stepped back with a proud fatherly smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you. Flower Bud, huh? Jill and I just moved from there ourselves." Claire shook hands with Jack and smiled cordially. It felt good to meet someone who seemed… _normal_, to be perfectly honest. Depending on how long he was staying, she'd finally have another "outsider" to talk to, and she'd be able to ask how things were back home.

Jack's eyes widened and his smile was like that of a child at an amusement park. "Did you just say _Jill_? Oh god. Jill? Is that _you_?"

Jill shot him an expression made of stone and still kept her hands gripped tightly on the doorway.

"I'm sorry, but I was just going to bed," she said icily. "I'd thank you not to disturb us so late at night."

Jack frowned and scratched the back of his head in awkwardness. "Sorry."

Claire and Takakura reflected each other's confused looks, glancing back and forth at the furious Jill and humiliated Jack.

"It's not that big a deal," Claire reassured him. "Welcome to the farm, by the way. Tomorrow when Jill's feeling better I can show you around and make sandwiches."

Takakura cleared his throat and rubbed his palms together. "Actually, uh… it looks like this might be the wrong time to say this, but Jack's come to respond to the ad. He's the new farm hand."

Jill's eyes and cheeks bulged until she began to resemble a fish. Her shoulders shook and her eyebrows pointed down in frightening anger, and in one violent motion she slammed the door shut. The three standing outside jumped as though they had heard a gunshot.

"Really." Claire smiled eagerly, trying to ignore Jill's reaction. "That's pretty cool. The farm will develop that much faster with more people around to help. I'm sure we can work it out."

Jack thrust his tongue into his cheek and looked down apologetically. "I kinda knew this was going to happen. In fact I thought about reserving a room at the Inner Inn just in case."

Takakura looked concerned, and asked in a stern voice, "Jack, my man… what happened? How do you know her?"

"I'm not sure I want to speak about that now. Miss Claire, I'm very sorry for disturbing you two. Taka, can we talk later?"

"Yeah." Takakura frowned and lay a hand on his younger friend's shoulder. "Come on inside. I'll fix you up something to eat and we can talk there. Claire, will you excuse us? Have a good night."

"You too. And Jack… nice meeting you."

Claire marched into the house and saw Jill nearly in pieces, pacing back and forth with her hair loose. She was pulling on it until Claire thought it would rip out, and her face was cherry-red with heated frustration.

"Um, Jill? Do you want to talk about why you were so rude to our guest?"

"He shouldn't be here. Why is _he_ here, and why is he _here_?" Jill plopped onto the floor and touched her head to her knees.

Claire shrugged, tossing some of her hair behind her shoulder. "I don't know. But he's kinda cool. He's polite and friendly, and he's also kind of cute."

Jill looked at her with narrowed eyes. "_Don't start._"

"I'm sure he won't get in the way. After all, you've frightened him enough already."

The brunette got up and located a bottle of wine sticking out of a plastic shopping bag in the corner, her hair swishing at her back as she walked. Hastily she yanked the cork out with all her strength, and took a long, deep swallow.

"You're so dense."

Claire put her hands on her hips and towered over her friend, snatching up the wine bottle and holding it high out of her reach.

"Okay, Jill. You tell me right now. What's going on? What do you have against that guy?"

Jill took a few shaky breaths, cracked her knuckles, and stretched out her neck. Then she sighed, played with her hair, and looked at Claire straight in the eye, forlorn and sorrowful.

"Jack is my ex."

--

"Hey! HEY! What the hell are you doing! Stop right now!" A bellowing voice broke the silence a few hours later. Claire and Jill sat in that same spot on the floor, sharing what was left of that wine bottle. Claire noticed that it was just a few minutes away from midnight when the yelling began.

"Already that damn boy is causing trouble," Jill cursed him, looking dangerous and wild with her hair spilled all around her neck and shoulders, her eyes filled with fury. Claire thought she resembled some sort of vindictive motorcycle girl drinking in a bar, like she used to see in the movies.

"Forgive me," Claire told her before opening the door. Jack was just a few feet away, running with a hoe held over his head, poised to strike something. Already he had plowed a few bald spots into their green lawn. Never had she seen any snakes around here before -- was there a wild animal?

"Hey, what's going on?" she asked, refastening the straps of her overalls. "Are you in some sort of trouble?"

Jack panted as he turned and looked at her. The red handkerchief was hanging loose off his neck, and he was already sweating from all that running.

"There's a thief here. A dirty thief with silver hair. Some crazy gay-looking guy with a black mask and a big potato sack. He's already made off with a few apples off your tree."

Claire stifled a laugh, not knowing what to think. Both he and Jill had gone mad tonight, looking horribly unkempt and insane with their hostility toward one another. Jack stared at her like a wild predator, makeshift weapon in hand.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said, yawning.

"I kid you not! I was going to ship those apples for you in the morning, and that no-good asshole just snatched the best ones!"

Claire's heart softened. What a sweet guy! Had it been any other person, Jill probably would have welcomed such a thoughtful young man, strong, eager, and probably equally full of ambition. Jack put the farming tool back into his knapsack and wiped his face down with the handkerchief.

"I'm sorry he had to get away."

"Not a problem. I'll be keeping watch for you guys in case he comes back."

"Are you staying with Takakura-san?"

Jack shook his head and pointed to two skinny trees next to the older man's house. A crude hammock was tied up between them, a thermos and plastic zipper-bags stuffed with sandwiches waiting for him at the base of a tree.

"I won't impose on him. Until I figure something out, or move into the Inn when it opens tomorrow, I'm going to camp out here."

_Awwww!_

"Can I at least bring you a blanket? Winter's coming soon, and you'll be cold."

"I'll be fine for tonight. Takakura will give me anything I need. Besides, I don't want to have to knock on your door and bother Jill… you know…."

Claire nodded, but decided not to make any further comment. It was their business. By the looks of it, at face value, it seemed as though the breakup would be a mistake on Jill's behalf, but there was no telling what Jack did, on the other hand. Truly, there would have to be a _lot_ to go wrong if Jill was this upset.

"Okay then. Good night, Jack."

"Sweet dreams, Miss Claire."

--

"You know he totally made that story up," Jill snapped, buttoning the top of her square-patterned pajamas before flicking off the light. Claire moved aside as she let Jill peel back the warm quilt.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Claire yawned, moving to keep her nightgown from getting twisted around her legs. "I really do think he's a nice guy, and surely you thought so once, too. And there really are apples missing from that tree."

"Because he stole them and ate them himself, dummy." Jill picked up the cat and let it settle itself in a comfortable position at the foot of the bed.

"Whatever you say. If you want, you can steer clear of him tomorrow and I'll see if I can work things out for all of us."

Moments of silence passed. Claire knew without looking that Jill was deeply disturbed, staring at the ceiling. The blonde tried so hard to fall asleep, turning over onto her side and curling up into her favorite position, her head snuggled perfectly in her soft, thick pillow.

"Claire," Jill whispered, shaking her friend's shoulder.

"Mmm."

"You want to know why this is bothering me?"

Claire turned over to face her, blinking to stay awake. Jill stared at her with eyes wide awake, clutching her pillow tightly, the covers pulled up high up to her chin.

"Okay."

Jill sighed. "I've been seeing Kai at the Inner Inn. He comes back at least once a week, and ever since we hit it off at the festival in the summer, I've been having a good time hanging out with him."

"Okay."

"I just… this is so confusing. Things are starting to look so great for me, so great for _us_, and then in walks Mr. Blast From The Past, you know?"

"How bad was it?"

"No, it was wonderful in the beginning, that's the thing. Jack and I met up when we were both sightseeing in this little nature reserve, far from here. There's a tiny village there, and Jack once saved it from becoming torn down and replaced with an amusement park. I never thought I'd see him after that, but when I was living in Mineral Town we ran into each other again and started dating. At that time he was working on another farming project. I moved to Flower Bud when it came time for me to start college and working on my own life, and he followed me. Then things fell apart. We were just short of having a deep, serious committed relationship, you know? His farming jobs made it so that he had to rotate around different rural areas, and he just chose _not_ to settle down and farm in one place, for some reason. Do you know he's the reason why I chose to take Ag Science? And now he's here, and… I don't know what to do. I was so sure I'd never see him again."

Claire opened her eyes, unsure of how much she actually understood. It had been a long and hectic day, and deep in her heart she felt genuine sympathy and love for her best friend… but she was just so _tired._

"Wow," was all she could say.

"Claire… I'm so worried." Jill pouted like a small child and held out her open hand. Claire held it in hers and gave it a squeeze. "I'm not asking you to hold anything against Jack, 'cause you don't know him the way I do. Go and be friends with him if you want, but just… I don't know. It would be unfair of me to ask you to date him, but… I don't know how I would take it."

Claire yawned and desperately ached for sleep. For crying out loud, they had to work again tomorrow. There were no days off, and every minute of sleep counted.

"I'm here for you no matter what."

Jill gave no reply, and eventually they both drifted off to sleep soundlessly and uninterrupted, Jill squeezing tightly onto Claire's hand even as they slept.


	17. Gone Terribly Wrong

**Author's Note: **Everyone, thanks so much for the reviews and encouragement. This fanfic just popped into my head after I saw a trailer for the t.A.T.u. movie "You and I", and I needed a break from writing my original fiction novel. I never thought that this fanfic would flourish so well, especially since I feel like I've become so lazy with my writing style. I know I could have done a much better job for you guys.

So, this is Chapter 17, and I decided that although it was fun doing a series of "cut scenes", I really need to keep with the storyline. Coming up will be a lot more tension, I promise.

--

Fall 21st

7:00 p.m.

This was definitely not the happy, easygoing day that Claire wanted to have right before the evening of her first date with Marlin. If you could even call it a date.

Thank goodness she had Muffy and Griffin to fall back on. She, together with the two of them, plus Nami and Gustafa, shared this unspoken mutual feeling of being thick as thieves, and they were the last people on earth who could judge her whenever she walked into the Blue Bar.

Nausea was taking over ten-fold by the time she left the farm. She couldn't face Marlin feeling like this, and a brief little pick-me-up at the Blue Bar seemed to be the perfect option.

"Hey, good to see you!" Griffin called to her cheerfully. He and Muffy were wiping down the countertops when she walked in. Business hadn't started to pick up yet, as it was still comparatively early in the evening.

"We've missed you!" Muffy exclaimed, blowing Claire a kiss from her freshly-coated red lips. "Have you come to play a game with us? We've been so bored!"

Claire climbed up onto a stool and sighed deeply. "Actually, if you've got something to settle my nerves…."

"Coming right up," Griffin said. "I'm starting to pick up on your tastes. You'll be wanting something festive and seasonal, and you'll love the taste of Fall Colors."

"Whatever you got," Claire agreed, waving her hands carelessly. "I just really need to settle down. What a day I've been having, and it's not over yet."

"Well, why ever_not_?" Muffy inquired, leaning over and folding her hands. If there was one thing to be said about Muffy, it was that no matter what was going on, she was a good listener. Now, whether or not one wanted to hear her unsolicited opinions or advice was another thing, sometimes.

"Oh, I've got dinner with Marlin at the Inn tonight, and my stomach's got a bad case of the flutters." Claire grinned proudly to herself.

Muffy and Griffin exchanged worried looks.

"Uh…" Griffin started.

"SSSSHHHH!" Muffy hissed, pressing a finger to Griffin's mouth. "_You_ just keep mixing and stirring, mister. This is Claire's date, and we have no part in it."

But Claire wasn't paying them the slightest bit of attention. As she started with the first sip of her drink, she barely even noticed its flavor. Her mind was totally wrapped around the strange events that unfolded throughout the day.

This morning Jill had volunteered to work the fields and go out to gather materials while she and Jack worked together with the animals. All had been going so smoothly at that time. Jack was a complete natural, and together they completed their chores an hour and a half before their usual mid-morning break.

They only regretted that this year they'd have to stay out of the annual Sheep Festival, which was today. Jill and her ex were both so positive that they'd get it next year, but unfortunately for the rest of the town, there was low turnout to the festival, and with nothing to celebrate, the shops had stayed open.

After lunch Claire was at the little watering hole outside the stable, dipping the watering can for its refill when suddenly, it just came out. '_Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water._' She had no idea why she sang it to herself, or why the thought even crossed her mind. But the next thing she knew, Jill had "accidentally" struck her upside the head with an empty feeding bucket.

Oh yeah, and then there was something weird that happened maybe about ten minutes before she entered the bar. Claire was making her way down to the Blue Bar when who should happen to step in her way but Rock, the bandage removed from his forehead and his ugly bruise now kind of greenish-yellow. She couldn't help looking away in disgust, but remaining polite also never hurt anyone.

"Hey, Rock. Are you feeling okay?"

Rock slid his tongue across his teeth and pocketed it with his cheek. He smoothed back his blond hair with his fingers and adjusted the collar of his brand-new shirt, trying to look as cool as possible.

"I've seen better days. But I forgive you."

"Thanks," Claire said, wanting more than ever to get away and take refuge with Muffy and Griffin.

"_But_, it occurs to me that you and Jill owe me for that little accident. So I figured that I'd make this enjoyable not only for me, but for you too. Claire… will you come up to my room with me?" Rock grabbed on to Claire's wrist and leaned in close, his face almost touching hers. He reeked of too much cologne and she could feel his hot breath on her mouth.

"_No_," she said firmly, wrenching herself free. "I have an important engagement to go to."

"I'm only going to offer one more time," Rock said angrily. "Go on a date with me?"

"Get lost," Claire told him, losing her patience and fleeing to the Blue Bar.

And here she was.

'_Ew_,' she thought as she recalled the memory. The nerve of that guy! She should have given him a hard slap in the face.

There wasn't much more conversation going on between the three of them by the time Claire had paid for her drink. Muffy and Griffin understood that she was in a rush for her date, and they bade her farewell politely, but stiffly. Claire dismissed their reaction as them just being weird, and prayed that Rock wouldn't be anywhere in sight when she went to find Marlin at the Inn.

--

Claire mentally coached herself through this as she stood outside the entrance to the Inner Inn. With such little time to prepare, she had to settle for a soft, "bunny rabbit" pink colored overalls. But she had borrowed one of Jill's hair ties and gathered up the top section of her hair, tying it back to give her hair honey-blond hair a thinner, more elegant look. If only she had asked Muffy or Lumina for some cosmetics, but it was too late to do anything about that now.

At least she had the right ideas in mind. When she entered the Inn, the lights were dimmed down and she spotted Marlin in his usual long cotton shirt, tight-fitting jeans and cowboy boots, comfortably reclined in a puffy cushioned chair. He grinned at her and motioned for her to sit down. Two long white candlesticks burned with a gentle glow, illuminating Marlin's face and an elaborate table setting: a huge roast turkey in the center, seated on a bed of green leaves and bordered with seasonal fruit. Tiny side dishes were symmetrically aligned all about the table, and the silverware was freshly polished and shining. To top it all off, Ruby had included a bottle of wine nested in a silver bucket of ice.

The very picture took Claire's breath away.

"You look a little too nice for just a meal," Marlin commented, the edges of his lips turning upward in a smirk.

"You--you _always_ look nice," Claire told him breathlessly. "Am I terribly late?"

"No. Ruby had it all set up early, and I just showed up myself about five minutes ago." Marlin moved his chair out from under the table, and stood to receive her properly.

"You do look really good," he murmured in a sexy, gentlemanly voice. Claire's heart began to melt, and as if straight from a fairy tale, Marlin lifted his hand and took hers in it.

"Are you in a big hurry to eat?" Claire asked. "Surely that big bird must be more appealing than me."

"I'm not in too much of a hurry for _this_," he half-whispered, gazing intently into her eyes. He stroked her face gently with his long, soft fingers and brushed some of her hair behind her ear, wanting a better look at her face. "Listen… I know this is too much than what we originally planned, a casual dinner, but tonight I really wanted to--"

"Ooh, hey! Nobody told me we were having a turkey dinner!" Rock's footsteps thundered down the staircase, and he jumped up and down in excitement. "This must be my early birthday surprise!"

Marlin's face fell into his trademark brooding scowl. Impatiently he licked his lips and looked at Rock with an extremely irritated sigh. "Actually, bro, this was supposed to be --"

"Wow, _Claire_! Lookin' hot!" Rock hollered. "No need to get all dressed up for me. That pink is so adorable, it's like you're trying to have this little innocent look goin' on! I like!" Rock's eyes swept up and down Claire's body, bringing her back to that moment when she and Jill had met him on the beach. They weren't impressed with him then, and Claire sure as hell didn't like him now.

"Dude!" Marlin shouted. He waved his hands in the air as Rock continued to ignore him, looking at Claire and silently mouthing, 'What the hell?'

'I don't know,' Claire lip-synched back, flinching as Rock moved closer to them. Instead of bothering her, Rock went straight to Marlin, giving an unwanted brotherly punch in the arm as he leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Claire became violently uncomfortable, her stomach lurching. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, and on an empty stomach, nothing would come up if she exited to the restroom to puke.

Marlin's eyes moved back and forth in contemplation, and when Rock pulled away he looked at Claire quizzically. He sighed and looked down at his shoes.

"Are you done now?" Claire snarled at Rock, who was backing away as he giggled, reminding Claire of a monkey. Count on him to ruin things! Whatever he had told Marlin, it was of course totally ridiculous, and Marlin surely wouldn't listen to it. Rock was probably still bitter after being rejected. What could he possibly have said to ruin things _now_? In such a beautiful romantic setting, Claire liked to think that nothing would cause great enough harm.

"Hey, um… I know you're probably going to be angry, but Rock just came to tell me that Celia's not feeling well and Vesta wants me home. I've already paid Ruby for the whole thing ahead of time, so don't worry. Maybe we can, uh, reschedule sometime. You can go on and enjoy the meal, even with Rock if you want to. I'm so sorry, but I really have to go. See you again sometime?"

Claire's posture fell into an unladylike slump. All this excitement had been ballooning inside her ever since yesterday, and it reached its peak as soon as she came in and found everything absolutely _perfect_. It was as if something had fallen from the sky and crushed her, that balloon feeling collapsing with a sudden _pop_. She hung her mouth open for a few seconds before trying to regain her composure, blinking back the tears that burned and stung the corners of her eyes.

"I understand. Things happen, you know?" Her voice was hollow. She couldn't even feel the words coming from her throat. The insane appetite she carried with her turned to a sickness in her stomach, and she already knew that until this situation was somehow fixed, if that was even possible, she'd never want to look at food again.

"Thanks for being so good about this," Marlin said. Even as he had told her all of this, his eyes remained fixed on the door, and he never looked at her once. He just wanted to escape out of that door, and Claire hadn't the faintest idea why. As he passed her, they shook hands, but there was no feeling in it whatsoever. Marlin's hands were cold and lifeless, Claire's hands burning with hurt and embarrassment like the rest of her body.

Claire had never fainted before, not once in her entire life. Sometimes, when she was younger, she wished that she had fainting spells, as an excuse to get out of school or something. Until she had seen what Marlin was like yesterday. His symptoms quickly flashed before her eyes, and she recognized that she was feeling all of that now, and possibly more. Only blind rage and confusion kept her standing solidly on her feet, as her breathing slowed and her head started to spin.

_What the hell happened?_

Pitter-pattering noises coming from upstairs grew increasingly louder. Claire summoned the strength to lift her head, and a solemn trail marched in synch down the stairs. The first face she recognized was Jill's, though she wore her hair down tonight. Then came Kai, a tan face she hadn't seen in a long time, a bandanna tied around his head as always. And then, of course, there was Rock.

'_Don't tell me he just ruined their evening too! What a douche._'

Kai and Jill looked as though there was a funeral procession going on. At the foot of the staircase, they didn't say a word to each other. Jill's face looked a little red from fighting back tears, and Kai's face just spelled distress. Rock couldn't help wearing that stupid smile, wanting acknowledgement for doing something he was obviously so proud of.

"I'm sorry it had to turn out this way," Jill whispered, her pretty chocolate hair hanging about her like a straight, silky curtain. Kai said nothing.

"Don't tell me you're all _leaving_ me," Rock whined.

To make matters worse, Claire heard the door open behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could, and clenched her fists. There was no way that whoever this was could make the situation any better. The only thing they could do was brace themselves.

"Hey! Is there a party going on?" Jack's cheerful voice shattered the silence. Claire turned around and waved her hands frantically, mouthing 'Shut up!', only a second too late.

Jack held a bouquet of red and blue autumn flowers in his hands, and nearly dropped it when he saw Jill looking devastated. Of all the times for him to be completely insensitive….

"_Pony-chan!_"

Jill stared at him in complete bewilderment, and immediately dashed out the door faster than you could say "pissed". Jack winced and offered Claire a sheepish smile.

"I'll--I'll talk to you later, Jack. This is _not_ a good time," Claire choked, bringing her hand to her chest and throat as she chased after her friend.

As she exited the door, none other than Muffy might as well have walked through her, paying her no mind as her mint-green eyes focused on Jack. They were swimming with pure affection.

"Jack!" she screamed, running up to him and throwing her arms around his neck. "We've missed you so much!"


	18. Rumors

Fall 22nd

Goddess Pond - 12:45 p.m.

"Sometimes, I really just _hate_ the fact that I'm the only one she can actually turn to," Claire confessed, shifting uncomfortably to minimize the pain in her rear end, stabilizing herself with her right foot pressed against a different branch.

"And I still wish I could do something about that," sighed Jack. He mimicked her, reaching for a twig, snapping it off, and twisting it, then tearing the dry and dying leaves into shreds. The both of them once again reflected on their ugly situation back on the farm.

Jill actually neglected to shower this morning. Claire kept it secret that the last thing her friend wanted to do was be naked and vulnerable with Jack on the farm, no matter how early it was. Then the distressed girl lazily carried on with her tasks, breaking a chicken egg here, spilling a bag of animal food there, her heart not in it at all. Claire and Jack had no choice but to take over, and Jill remained in bed under the covers ever since.

Neither of the two girls wanted to entertain the thought of going out in public. Frantically searching for a place to talk it out, Claire and Jack scurried about Forget-Me-Not Valley, deciding to remain completely hidden up in a tree that overlooked the Goddess Pond. Tree-climbing would have been an exciting change of pace on any other day, but for Claire, it was slow and painful, and she knew her tailbone would be sore for days.

Jack definitely had his redeeming moments. Seeing his handsome, honest face was refreshing for Claire. Quite easily she could look past the ladies' man exterior and really connect with him on a peculiar personal level. It was insane how strongly her heart begged her to trust the man who had caused Jill this same kind of heartbreak a long time ago.

"I'm having a hard time figuring out why we're so upset by something we don't even understand," Claire emphasized, glancing up at the canopy of branches and leaves that shaded them from the bright afternoon sun. She noticed that even the sky was changing, a more delicate gray kind of blue than what they had seen in the summer. Time would never stop for _anyone_, and with the pronounced changing of the seasons, Claire only felt more anxiety. Sooner or later their welcome here might use itself up, and maybe it was beginning already. "I mean, did I even _do_ anything, and was it really so wrong?"

"From my point of view, you didn't do anything. Maybe Rock is just a douche."

"Thank you! That's exactly what I was thinking all along!"

"I've been gone for about a year and a half, but I still remember clearly that Rock is just not a very popular guy, however much he wants to be. And here we have two new beautiful girls, and people _like_ you." Jack's brown eyes sparkled with sincerity as he put a warm hand on Claire's shoulder. When he smiled, his white teeth were also shining brightly, and his strong muscular build offered deep, warm consolation.

"What kind of things does a guy say to get two girls slighted by their would-be boyfriends in one night? I almost feel like _laughing_ about this!" Claire burst, her cheeks puffing up with anger.

"Speaking of the devil--" Claire started.  
"I smell a rat," Jack said simultaneously.

They smiled at one another and put their fingers over their lips as they looked down and saw Rock's yellow head passing by. He was whistling a tune, miserably off-key, as he strolled down the path.

Claire held her breath as she sprung down onto a lower branch. The leaves shook slightly in a barely-noticeable tremor, but Rock didn't look up. Claire contorted herself into a monkey pose, clutching onto one branch while leaning out, and extending her middle finger so far that her entire arm began to shake. Jack watched this with a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Ah, flipping the bird. I know all too well how that feels," Jack said as soon as Rock was gone.

"That _did_ feel good. Oh, hey -- check that out." Claire pointed to two women who came into view. Claire recognized two more blond heads, one with bouncing large curls, the other with more mellow-hued, tight waves tied back into a ponytail. Muffy and Flora stood at the edge of the Goddess Pond, enjoying its serenity while it was not yet frozen over with the coming of winter. Jack reached his hand out to Claire and helped her climb back up to where they were sitting before.

"So what _was_ it that really went on last night?" Flora asked, adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her nose.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Muffy's eyes widened. Claire rolled her eyes as she watched this, almost forgetting that Muffy had a penchant for gossip, and gossip about both friends and enemies alike.

"I'm always out of the loop!"

"Of all people in the world, it was _Rock_ who discovered the truth about those two. So he told Kai and Marlin before those poor young men would end up getting hurt."

Flora covered her mouth with her hands and gasped in shock. "So it's true?!"

"Only according to what I've been hearing." Muffy's red puckered lips lifted into a naughty grin, and she winked.

"It must have been some other way. Rock's always got his head up his--"

"I know, I know! But I heard that he tried asking one of them out on a date, and she refused and was all rude about it, and supposedly told Rock that she liked _girls._"

"Oh god," Flora whispered.

"So that's it, in a nutshell." Muffy examined her manicured nails with a sly expression for dramatic effect.

"You don't suppose anything's going to change?"

"Who knows? I'm sure people in this little stick town, no offense, aren't as open and accepting about that kind of thing. I should have seen it _before_, I mean, they're _farmers_! Have you ever heard of pretty girls doing that by _choice_?"

Claire shut her eyes and painfully sucked in her breath, gripping her hair tightly and squeezing her head between her knees. Jack frowned and took her hands in his, shaking his head as he continued to watch the pathetic scene. Claire didn't lift her head until the ladies carried their chatter elsewhere. She didn't need to hear any more. In fact, all she wanted to do now was _drown_.

"I'm so disappointed in Muffy right now," Jack spoke, giving Claire's hands a squeeze. "Hey, come on. I'm sure that was the worst of it. You can only look up and it can only get better from here."

Now she was definitely about to burst in a fit of rage. Snorting though her nostrils like a bull, Claire pursed her lips together and counted to ten, just like her mother had taught her to do. Not that she believed that counting to ten had ever worked, but it was the memory of her sweet and supportive mother that kept her at bay.

"Okay." Claire held her hand up and shook her index finger. "How about this. Even if one of us _was_ a lesbian, what makes people think that the other one has to be too? Huh?"

"Um, Claire… maybe it's because you two--"

"That was a rhetorical question. GAWD." Claire leaned back on the thick, rough branch, hanging her arms down at her sides. "Dude… I can think of, like, a thousand scandals I'd rather get caught up in than have this _one_ particular rumor circulating about me."

"Is it that hard to disprove?"

"I really thought that Marlin and Kai would know better than to buy that, especially since _Rock_ said it. Oh, _ewwww_. First it was the lesbianism, and now it's Rock. Oh god, what a combination. I think I'm seriously going to puke."

"Hey, hey, calm down. Do you know how much easier it is to talk about lesbians than it is to talk about gay guys?"

"I can't believe I'm actually saying and hearing that 'L' word!" Claire rubbed her stomach as she felt something heavy like a bowling ball forming in there. Within seconds that ball began traveling its way up her chest and into the bottom of her throat.

Jack sighed. Now there was no choice but to pull her into his arms.

Claire threw her arms around him and dug her nails into his overalls, feeling a migraine coming on. Jack shushed her like she was a fussing baby, rubbing her back and shoulders. She loved his clean, soapy scent that reminded her of spring rain, the warmth of his pink-white skin, the vibration in his chest as he spoke, and the softness of his white undershirt. It was an encompassing calm that she never would have imagined coming from a human being, not even from Marlin if she'd had that chance. Her heart beat furiously and she realized that she wouldn't mind staying in Jack's arms like this forever -- but Jack just didn't have that _something_ that Claire wanted so badly.

"Hey, do you wanna bail now?" Jack offered, signaling down at someone else passing by. "I forgot the Goddess Pond is also a popular hangout spot in these parts."

"Just one more conversation, and then we'll get out of here before I lose my damn mind," Claire promised. Upon noticing that it was Lumina coming up, Claire instinctively jumped down from the tree and caught up with her friend on the path. Sweet, intelligent Lumina. She'd definitely understand.

"Good day, Claire," Lumina said calmly. "How the weather is changing this week."

"How have you been?"

"Wonderful. Absolutely splendid." Lumina's bright smile and round cheeks were an uplifting sight. Claire knew she would be able to count on her. Eighty-three percent compatibility with a high chance of best-friendship, right?

"Rock came to my home last night with a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers, and I'm afraid I've been feeling absolutely smitten ever since. He goes so far out of his way just to make a good impression on me. Isn't that amazing of him?"

"Yeah," Claire replied flatly, barely able to keep from vomiting a little in her mouth. "Hey, listen -- I'm kind of having a problem lately and I'm wondering if you could help me out."

Lumina glanced down at her designer shoes. Even all the subtlest little signs of elation on her face melted faster than wax over a fire, and the heiress's face hardened into grim sullenness.

"Well, I'm afraid that depending on what the matter is, I may not be able to provide help. It might not be my area of expertise, so to speak."

"I know, but I'm kind of desperate. Lumina, have you heard what's been going around about me?"

"I would be lying to you if I said I didn't," the younger girl declared, holding her head up so that her nose pointed high in the air. "May I ask what this might have to do with me?"

"Well… if it's true or not…" Claire spoke, slowly and clearly, picking her words wisely, "do you think that changes things between me, Jill, and other people?"

Lumina clicked her tongue and shook her head regretfully. "Oh, Miss Claire. I do wish you would have told me this beforehand, before it became this awful predicament you find yourself in."

"Even if I was a -- uh -- what people _say_ I am, and you knew about it… I don't think you would have accepted me as your guest and as your friend. Why would things change now? Pardon my frankness, but you don't even know the _truth_ of it all, actually."

In under two minutes, Lumina underwent a rapid transformation. Claire was appalled at this snotty little girl standing before her just now, someone who had been her friend, someone who was just seconds away from being a reliable confidante. And now all that was gone.

"Rock is a fine fellow. A bit rough on the edges, I am forced to admit, but I don't believe that he spreads lies. I just can't possibly associate his name with slander! Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be going." Lumina reached for a handkerchief in the pocket of her pleated skirt, and held it over her nose and mouth as she moved past Claire and exited the clearing.

"I cannot freaking believe this!" Claire stomped indignantly. "Did you see that? She totally just covered her nose like I was just hauling fertilizer all day!"

Jack jumped down from the tree and embraced Claire once more, stroking her head and silently teeming with good intentions and insightful thoughts.

"Please don't fret, Claire. Usually gossip around here doesn't last very long. I can only imagine what went around about _me_ just after I left."

"Screw this place," Claire puffed into his chest, smothering her face in his clothes.

"Hey." Jack kissed the crown of her head. "Don't you worry about a thing. I've messed things up enough already, and I'm going to help you make things all right again for both our sakes. Sooner or later they're all gonna come to their senses. You're such a cute girl, Claire, and a great conversationalist. Don't let this get you down. Please."

"Well, where are we gonna go _now_? People are popping up out of nowhere, where we least expect it."

"I stayed at the Inner Inn last night and I haven't checked out of my room just yet. Let's watch DVDs and I'll order us the best of room service."


	19. Heart to Heart

Fall 22nd

Inner Inn - Room 24 - 8:32 p.m.

"Hahahaha! What a dumbass!" Claire hollered cheerfully, the merry pink color returning to her face as she laughed uncontrollably at the TV, holding a pizza box in her lap. Watching the actor freak out after locking the keys in his car tickled her to death. She and Jack had been here watching movies for hours now, and as far as Claire was concerned, she wouldn't care at all if time froze and this never ended.

"You haven't even seen the best part yet," Jack chimed in, sitting beside her on the bed. "Hey… I'm glad you're feeling better."

"I can't believe I _am_ feeling better," Claire chuckled, the backlight of the TV forming a blue square on her face. "Oh crap, what a day I was having. Thanks for bringing me here."

"Well, if anything, now there'll be a rumor about you and me alone in my hotel room! Isn't that much better than what we heard earlier?" Jack beamed proudly before Claire whacked him with a pillow.

"That'll make my reputation with Marlin even better," she said sarcastically, helping herself to another gooey mouthful of cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms. "God, I love pizza."

"You know what'd be good with that right now? Beer."

"Great! You gonna order some?"

"No. I was thinking that maybe, if you were willing to go out in public again, we'd pay a visit to the Blue Bar."

"It's closed on Wednesdays, isn't it?"

"Griffin's my buddy. He'll definitely open the door for me. And as it's Wednesday, Muffy will be gone doing whatever she does in town. Come on, I haven't been to the bar in over a year. What do you say?"

Claire sighed and stared down at the last slice of pizza in her hand. "Ah, well… okay. Just don't get mad at me if I start being bitter again."

"You have every right to. And trust me, Griffin won't say a thing. Not until _you're_ ready to talk about it, and Griffin doesn't judge people. Ever."

--

"Hey, you little bastard! How have you _been_?" Griffin shouted happily upon seeing his old friend, opening the door for them. Claire was impressed -- Jack really was well-liked among everybody.

"Not up to very much," Jack replied, accepting a manly hug. "I've missed you too, old man."

"Come on in, you two. I was planning on going out into town, but _your_ little rascal self coming back is a bigger event in itself." Griffin hit the light switch and seemed to breathe life into his bar. And somehow, the sight of Claire's customary bar stool made her feel lighter. Was it sad that she saw that familiar counter like a life-saving ring thrown out to her at sea?

"You married yet?" Griffin winked at Jack as he reached for three shot glasses.

"Hell no! You?"

"Still too young for all that business, man. Hahaha!"

Claire only sipped her drinks silently, only half-listening to the men's conversation about old times. So far, Jack was right -- no sign of Muffy, or anyone else who could now so easily get under her skin. Now that she could concentrate on its taste, Claire thought she detected cola as a key ingredient in Fall Colors, and it wasn't that bad. The young blonde, eighteen years old, had finally become more accustomed to the taste of adult beverages, and knew what to expect. No matter what others might say, Claire determined that alcoholic drinks were an acquired taste, and one had to appreciate them for what they were, and embrace all their subtleties and varying degrees of burning on its way down the throat.

"You feeling troubled, little one?" Griffin addressed her affectionately, stroking his mustache between his fingertips and leaning over the counter. Was there anyone that didn't like Griffin and his warm, amiable ways?

"I'm sure you heard. The rumors," she answered quietly, so well adapted to this that she didn't have the energy to flare up emotionally anymore.

"Pffff. I never listen to any of that. Well, I hear it all, but I never take that kind of stuff to heart." Though his eyes were dark and small, Claire could see his sincerity that was as bright and big as the fall moon. Griffin spoke with an extremely elusive twang in his voice, sometimes slow and drawling.

"You're one of the very few, then."

"Hey, don't be so gloomy. And so what if you really _are_? That shouldn't make no difference to anybody."

"She knows that, and _we_ know that, but the rest of Forget-Me-Not isn't quite as smart, it seems," Jack said as he emptied his third glass.

Griffin gave a low, disapproving grunt.

"The thing is," Claire admitted, the tightening feeling in her chest coming back, "it really ruined what I hoped was going to be a nice, pleasant date with someone I really like."

"Oh, that thing with Marlin that you were going to do."

"Yeah."

The older man sighed and scratched his head, then ran his fingers through his plentiful chestnut hair.

"Now, I'm going to tell you this from an objective point of view. _Objectively_ speaking, Marlin's a decent guy. He's just more easily upset than he's willing to admit, and in the face of most issues, he eventually comes around and accepts the truth no matter how dark it is. He don't take rumors and gossip so lightly either. You can wait it out if you want to, but Marlin may or may not be in the right frame of mind to confront any form of disappointment right now."

"It's okay," Claire said. "There's nothing else in the world that I really hate more than gossip."

"You could always fight fire with fire," Jack suggested. "Another rumor. Or, even better! You want me to prove you're not _like that_? I'm not the only one who'd love to be even just a fake boyfriend."

"You're sweet, but no thanks. That wouldn't make the situation any better in the long run."

"_Exactly_." Griffin pointed a long finger at them both. "I've witnessed a lot of hare-brained schemes in my lifetime, and I regret that I was even involved in one or two. You never miss a great opportunity to _not_ dig yourself a bigger hole, no matter how great the temptation."

The door to the Blue Bar opened and closed, causing a little brass bell to ring. In walked a familiar man with a familiar auburn beard and familiar round sunglasses. Claire smiled as she looked him over, looking at all of those checkpoints: green hat _and _flower.

"Gustafa!" Jack exclaimed. Gustafa waved his hand at his old friend.

"I'm glad you're back. I heard about it, but wanted to come find you myself." Gustafa nodded politely at everyone else before squeezing in between Jack and Claire at the counter.

"You know we're technically closed on Wednesdays," Griffin reminded him.

"Psssh, yeah, okay. That's why I see this private party going on without me." The eccentric man gave a toothy smile, then turned to Claire. "You're quite the troublemaker lately, Little Missy. Got anything to share with your good friend Gustafa?"

"Um… to put a long story short, that's a definite _No to everything_ you've heard," Claire growled fiercely, motioning to Griffin for another drink. "Believe it or don't believe it, it's up to you."

"Aww, Claire," Gustafa cooed. "Of course I'm going to believe you. I especially wanted to get down to the bottom of this because Nami's passionate feistiness about this is causing quite the argument back at my yurt."

"I am so, so sorry."

"Don't be. I never imagined that any of this was truly your fault. Nami's the coolest girl I've ever met, but goodness gracious does she get fired up over such strong gossip like that!"

"So I've lost Muffy _and_ Nami to this senseless crap!" complained Claire. "What the hell am I going to do _now_?"

Gustafa shrugged. "Beats me. It doesn't bother me at all, either way. Free Love, man! No two people in all the world are just too different to peacefully coexist. People who badmouth others aren't worth it, man."

"He's right, you know," Griffin added.

"And you know what you're going to do now?" said Jack. "You're going to be the best farmer you can be. Advance yourself. Don't let other people's bullshit stop you and keeping you from succeeding. Keep working hard; I mean, you're already _better_ than them anyway. This is only entertaining for people because they've got nothing the hell else to _do_!"

"I guess you're right," Claire said. "Okay. Not like I have any other choice but to just give it some time, anyway. I'll go home and check on Jill. I think she probably needs the kind of help from me that I got from you today."

"You come back any time you're feeling bad, darlin'," Griffin told her. "I will open the door for you no matter what time of day."

--

Her friends' words had already sunk in and formed a deep impression by the time she reached the door of her house. Fortunately, the lights were still on. Jill must be up doing something to keep herself occupied. Hopefully she was carrying on like usual, fixing a sandwich or watching the weather report with one of the house pets in her lap.

"Hey, Jill?" Claire called softly as she opened the door. It turned out that things didn't look exactly as she had hoped.

"Mrrrrrrm," Jill groaned, stumbling her way to greet Claire with an empty bottle of wine in her hand. Her green pajama shirt was buttoned unevenly, and her disheveled ponytail looked like it was going to explode.

Claire took her friend into her arms and felt Jill shudder, and kissed her forehead. Just as Jack had done with her today, she just whispered, "Ssssh, shhhh, it's all right," and after a moment or two, Claire realized Jill wasn't crying. She was snoring.

"Oh geez."


	20. A Little Bit of Truth

Fall 24th

The Inner Inn - 10:45 a.m.

One full day had passed, and neither Claire nor Jack had the heart to say anything to Jill. The poor brunette was crushed enough already, in a way that Claire had never seen her before. She moved terribly slow, dragging her feet as she moved from one animal barn to another, a piece of bread from breakfast still hanging from her mouth. The three farmers were trying to harvest as many fall crops as they possibly could, with just a few days remaining in the month, and Jill ended up absentmindedly crushing three beautiful eggplants under her shoe. Claire hated eggplants, but wouldn't deny feeling troubled.

Things were beginning to work out, though. Jack remained at the Inn for the time being, and arrived every morning at 5:30 sharp, leaving only after all the shipments were collected. The way the tasks were divided, Jack and Jill never made any contact with one another. Claire agreed that for a few days, Jill needed her peace, and she would cross a bridge with her ex when they got to it on their own terms.

As time went by, she and Jill found tons and tons of letters addressed to Jack in their mailbox. This probably meant that Jack made the address change long before his arrival. There were so many names they didn't recognize -- Dia, Gina, Popuri, Ann, Eve, Nina…. Some of these letters arrived heavily scented with perfume, others with heart stickers, and once there had been a package of baked goods. The goodies Claire had stolen for herself, but the love letters must have deeply hurt Jill in spite of everything.

Today, after the chores were finished, Claire found herself following Jill up the staircase at the Inn, mugs of Ruby's hot, soothing (and sweetened!) coffee in their hands. In the midst of this dilemma, Claire observed that even as she was hiding something from her friend, Jill remained blissfully ignorant and still had the courage to go out in public. Ruby hadn't mentioned anything to them, just remained courteous and kind. Maybe things were better this way -- at least for right now.

Everything seemed temporary.

"I've got to see if I can still make things right," Jill explained softly, clutching onto the wooden banister and carefully watching her coffee mug. Even her shadow seemed sad and heartbroken as it stained the blue floral wallpaper. "Whatever comes out of it, I still have to give him this." She pulled something peculiar out of the pocket of her corduroy pants. It was a dull metal key, no doubt a spare to Kai's room. "I just hope he's come today."

"Your hair looks really nice," Claire complimented her, but Jill didn't seem to hear. The one thing Jill _did_ put special care into today was slicking her hair back with cold water, and binding it up into a big, spiraling ponytail high up on her head, accented with a fetching red ribbon.

Jill stopped just outside of the third door on the right, on the third floor. Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath. "Here goes."

"Good luck," Claire said. "I'll be… well, you know where I'll be." She returned downstairs to the second story and found Jack's room, giving a gentle courtesy knock. To her relief, the door creaked open and Jack was smiling earnestly. Good thing everything in _his_ life seemed fine, even if his wallet was shrinking by the day while he lived here.

"Hey, come in," Jack welcomed her, his face streaked with white foam across his chin like a thin strap, a razor in his hand and a towel around his neck. "Don't mind if I just finish up here."

"Oh, not at all. I just came by to say hi. Jill's trying to see if she can talk to Kai, and I just didn't want to be around for that." Claire sat down at the foot of the neatly made bed, admiring the blue-and-gold diamond comforter. She slipped out of her shoes and rubbed her temples, feeling as though a metal band was being tightened around her head.

"You two nice and comfortable in _my_ house?" Jack teased from the open bathroom, his reflection in the mirror sticking his tongue out at her.

"What?"

"You guys are taking over my uncle's farm, which I'm actually in line to inherit," he boasted. "But no big deal. I'm glad you two are here. I expected to come back and find it in ruins."

Claire looked at him as though he'd delivered her a cold, sharp slap to the face, her mouth hanging open wide. "It's _your_ farm? Why did you leave?"

Jack patted his face with the towel and sat down next to her. Claire tried not to look at the soft smoothness of his face and neck, or breathe in the musky cologne scent. She wondered how he was able to keep his composure. Jill was right -- his arrival in Forget-Me-Not only seemed to bring in conflict. The other night at the Inn certainly didn't help either. Claire kept it in the back of her mind to bring that up when the moment was right. Jack was beginning to owe more and more explanations, and they had damn well better be good ones!

"I'm sure you've heard a lot of things from Jill. I move around a lot. Not just my uncle, but other relatives, like my grandfather, have all been passionate about the farming thing long before my own father was even born. But my father wanted no part in it, really, so I had the burden of being next in line. After high school and one year of college, I had no idea where to go or what to do. So I explored the idea. I went to Mineral Town, Flower Bud Village… just rotated and helped out on my family's estates. Eventually I arrived here in Forget-Me-Not and tackled it once again all by myself. And so a year and a half ago, when my grandfather passed away, I had to leave and make things stable again. It hasn't been easy on any of my relationships, but… I want to fulfill my responsibilities before I choose a permanent home and settle down with a wife, and stuff. Jill seems to have taken it the hardest. I'm sure she'll never forgive me."

"And what do you mean when you mention all these _relationships_?" Claire demanded.

Jack sighed and swiped his hands down his face slowly, stretching out his skin. Claire expected some snide comment about how he was getting too old for this, that Claire was a kid and wouldn't understand. Fortunately, her prediction was wrong.

"It's hard, you know? I'm going to be twenty-two this winter and I've never really had a serious girlfriend for more than a few months. I've been working _all the time_ for nearly five years. And I don't want you to think that I'm trying to sleep with everyone, or anything like that. I just like going on dates with nice girls, that's all. I can't say I've ever done anything more than going on a long mountain hike with a woman before, anyway. I swear that to you as a friend." Jack held his right palm against his heart.

Claire looked down thoughtfully, wanting to believe him completely, but remained still just a little bit skeptical. No one could forget how furious Jill was the night he arrived.

"I think Jill really cared for you a lot."

"I only date special girls. And Jill's amazing, as a chick and as a friend."

"By the way… what was _Pony-chan_ all about?"

Jack smiled and shared some of Claire's coffee. "Mmm. Oh yeah. Pony was her widely-known nickname back in the day. You know, because of her hair."

"There must have been like a thousand things wrong with what you did the other night." Claire looked at him reprovingly, crossing her arms. "She didn't like that whole scene one bit."

"I brought those flowers for _her_," Jack explained, his ears turning pink. "I figured I would make it up to her somehow, and get started on the right foot this time. I had no idea she was with someone else."

"Do you know Kai?" Claire asked, accepting the mug back and having a long sip.

"Do I ever! He's quite the nomad himself. And if Jill has to have another boyfriend, then I'm glad he's it."

"Are you upset?"

Jack shook his head, but looked away and cleared his throat, rubbing his palms together with unease.

"I guess it's just me being naïve. I always thought she'd stay single, like me and everyone else when things fell apart. I talk to all the girls I used to hang out with, and if I'm ever in town we go and have dinner together or something. I still wanted her to be available, if just for that."

"You have a lot to learn about women. Eventually you're going to have to pick just one, and your behavior now is going to catch up with you later on."

"Yes, Mom."

Claire delivered him a friendly punch to the arm. "Come on. Let's check on Jill and see if she's all right."

"Shouldn't I be hiding from her right about now?"

"Mmm… actually, no. In fact, I think it's high time that you two start talking and being friends again. Besides, I'm so tired of being everybody's go-between."

Jack closed the door behind them on their way out and pocketed his key. Quietly he and Jill crept up the staircase with their hands clasped together. Claire learned that Jack had a nail-biting habit, watching as he began to nibble at his fingertips.

Jill came out of the third room on the right, sighing as she looked down at the key in her palm. She tossed it up and down, studied it as though she were selling a prized animal. Claire thought she saw lines of worry etched in her young friend's face, and a dull glaze in her usually bright eyes.

"He's not here," Jill told them. "Maybe it really is better this way." She dropped the key onto the carpet and slid it underneath the crack in the door with her shoe.


	21. Midnight Secrets

Fall 24th

The farmhouse - 11:14 p.m.

Claire tossed and turned in the layers of sheets that tangled up in her lacy green nightgown. She woke up for the second time tonight, this time realizing that her ankle was completely bound up and losing its circulation. Lifting her hands to her face to rub her eyes, she sat up, then slipped her arms under the sheets discreetly, not wanting to take any of the warmth away from Jill, lying motionlessly beside her.

Jill was sleeping like a rock over the past few days. No longer did she stay up to watch the weather reports, or make the following morning's breakfast, or play with the cat and dog. A few times, to Claire's frustration, she had skipped dinner and went to bed after only just a glass of water.

Winter was approaching, and her friend was showing less and less concern by the day. Jill was passionate about the animals, loving them like siblings, or her own children. But lately she was only saying, "Oh, they'll be fine," and retiring early. In spite of the coming changing of the seasons, tonight Claire got out of bed covered in sweat, her sheer nightgown sticking to her skin.

In a daze, she tiptoed over the sleeping Pepper and Moon, leaving them undisturbed as she opened the front door and stepped out, completely unsure why she was doing this.

The air outside was dead. Not even the faintest breeze came by. The stars and clouds up above were at a standstill, and there was complete silence. Claire lifted her arms, like a bird spreading its wings, but the icy air was more numbing than soothing. Rather than going back inside after only about ten seconds, she sat down on the grass and tried to enter a meditative state.

The hammock had been taken down from the slender trees adjacent to Takakura's house, and not a single remnant of Jack remained anywhere on the humble though developing estate. He would have been the perfect candidate to talk to when Claire just couldn't seem to get to sleep. Claire imagined that he would stir from his slumber, offer her a sleepy smile, and pour her a drink from his thermos as they told scary stories, chatting on through the night.

A pale white hand curled around the trunk of one of those trees, and Claire's heart stopped. Was it Jack? Then she noticed a bright golden bracelet attached to that hand, that reached almost all the way up to an elbow. Jack wasn't as flamboyant, and his skin definitely wasn't that milky and delicate.

"Why, hello there sleepyhead!" called a young woman's voice of indeterminable age. The voice was sweet, playful, and had a crystallic echoing quality.

Claire stood upright and flexed her limbs, vulnerable in her nightgown without any heavy farming tools in sight, thinking back to the night that Jack told her about a silver-haired thief.

Instead a female face popped into view, cute and flawless. Her hair was bound into two aqua-green buns on both sides of her head, a long braid trailing down from one of them. She wiggled her fingers at Claire with a flirtatious wave, and Claire marveled at the outfit she was wearing, a revealing turquoise-hued tube top and matching long skirt with a gold leaf ornament hanging from the belt. A billowy, thin shawl-like cape danced across her back and shoulders as this mysterious woman seemed to float out from behind the tree. There was definitely something_ethereal_ about her, and Claire's stomach twisted into knots as she thought she saw this weird lady _float _her way over. She hoped that perhaps this lady had long legs, and _seemed_ to float because Claire couldn't see shoes moving beneath the long skirt.

"Ta-daaaaa!" she shouted. Her aqua eyes glistened with excitement, and she spread her arms out in a showy manner, most likely expecting some sort of applause.

"Sssshhh!" Claire stamped her feet and waved her arms desperately. "People are sleeping here! What do you want?"

The woman frowned a little, and tilted her head in confusion. Her hands went on her curvaceous hips. Claire found it disturbingly tacky for her to flaunt her hourglass figure in an outfit like that at the end of the fall.

"Why, I'm here to help you. Don't you know me? I'm the Harvest Goddess!"

Claire rubbed her eyes once more, but indeed, this lady standing before her, this "goddess", didn't vanish. She remained perfectly calm, her wits gathered about her soundly.

"Okay, crazy lady," Claire yawned. "Since you're not some sort of hallucination, I'll just escort you back to wherever you came from."

"Oh, look at you!" the green-haired lady cried, placing two soft hands on Claire's cheeks. Claire's eyes widened in surprise, and she caught the scent of fragrant flowers misted and hydrated by heavy spring rain. She smelled just like a florist's shop. Her naturally-green eyebrows were tweezed to thin perfection, and her lips glossy and pink. Extravagant earrings dangled from her earlobes. She had the spunky eyes of a bratty child that insisted on having whatever she wanted. That much Claire could tell already.

"You're so pretty! I love the nightgown. With a little bit of jewelry, you could almost pass for being _me_!" She giggled and twirled around, as though enticing her. Whoever she was, most likely she heard that Claire was into women, and was probably trying to flirt with her. And seeing her dressed like that, Claire was prepared to tell her that she hadn't the spare gold to pay her price, even if she wanted to.

"What are you _doing_ here?" Claire demanded, her patience running thin. Why didn't she just stay in bed like a good girl?

"I was _so_ sad when Jack left. I thought he had forgotten all about me! But now he's back, and instead of finding him at this crappy farm, I run into _you_, Claire, and your little friend. Oh well. It's good to finally meet you, though!" She really _was _floating in mid-air. And she knew Claire's name.

"Okay, but what are you_ doing_ here? Don't you know that Jack's staying at the Inner Inn?"

The woman brought her fingers to her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, good to know. But that's not quite so important right now. I have something to show you." She took Claire's hand, and Claire felt the thin blue fabric of her shawl drape across her body.

"I must be sleepwalking," Claire concluded as the end of her nightgown rippled gently. The Goddess led her by the hand, over the fence and down the path, the two of them gliding just inches above the ground.

"People tend to forget about me after we have these encounters," the Goddess explained with a frown. "This experience will probably be locked in your subconscious mind too, but at least I'll have let you see all this for yourself. We're fighting for you, you know."

"What are you talking about?" By now they were gliding by the tree where Claire and Jack were sitting the other day, and Claire was amazed by the Goddess's strength as she lifted Claire up and sat with her on those same branches.

"You should have come to the pond and gave me something when you were here all day. You two are so silly," the Goddess said, poking Claire in the arm. "Anyway, just sit and watch."

Claire sighed, with no choice but to do as asked. She twiddled her thumbs around and tried not to feel embarrassed about being away from the farm in her nightgown, in a place where someone could easily look up and laugh at her panty-lines in the moonlight. With a thinner layer of clothing on, the scratchiness of that tree branch didn't feel any less painful on her behind and legs.

Swishing noises came from the clear pond. Claire focused her attention on it and almost jumped back when she saw a hand emerge onto the bank. The Goddess clamped her satiny hand over Claire's mouth, and they watched as another hand came up, then dark beaded sleeves, and a mess of blond hair that was sopping wet and hanging low, like an old mop. The woman climbed out of the pond and retrieved her black wool shawl that was floating in it behind her. Wringing her hair out, she tossed it over her shoulders. The Goddess grimaced unpleasantly when she saw the round, cherubish face and deep burgundy eyes.

'_I could swear that pond was way too shallow for someone to hide in it_,' Claire thought, amused. It seemed like nothing came to a shock to her anymore. Or maybe she really was sleepwalking. She hoped she would remember this dream so that she could write it all out later as a children's fairytale.

'_Why would you think that? I've been living in it for hundreds of years!_' a voice entered her head.

Claire stared at the tranquil Goddess with widened eyes. She could read minds! Oh goodness. This could be bad.

'_Don't worry about it, I can keep your petty little thoughts a secret. Now just stay quiet and watch._'

The strange blond woman wore a gray and purple patchwork dress with cheap beads embroidered to it, and an elaborate system of criss-crossing strings at her waist and across her furry boots. She shook out her soaken black shawl and placed it across her shoulders, a bitter expression on her youthful face. Arms outspread, she held her palms up and spread her nimble fingers out wide. Her bony little hands began to glow a soft violet color, her long uneven nails blending into the aura.

Rock appeared from almost out of nowhere, drifting along in the same purple aura. He wore the face and pose of a frightened little boy approaching the imaginary monster living in his bedroom closet. With bewilderment and intimidation dancing in his eyes, he clutched an old teddy bear to the shirt of his striped pajamas. Fuzzy blue slippers hung off of his feet, about to fall into the grass at any moment.

"Again? Can't I just go back to bed?" he begged the lady.

"Not until you finish your quest, young man." The blond girl held up her finger and waggled it at him, then snapped her fingers and Rock fell flat onto his butt on the ground.

"But I did what you asked!" he whined, brushing dirt off of his teddy bear. "And what about my reward that you promised me? Shouldn't I have that before you ask me to do something else?"

"You little _weasel_!" the girl snarled, her features wild and her deep wine-red eyes ablaze. "I got myself wet in that pond, checking for that stupid Harvest Goddess on my way to do _you_ a favor! How ungrateful of you!"

"Actually," Rock piped up, tapping his two index fingers together shyly, "I was hoping we could call this off. I don't think I want to do this anymore."

The girl grabbed Rock by the collar of his pajama shirt, and lowered her outraged face dangerously close to his frightened one. "You're so spineless! All I wanted to do was play a few harmless little games. What are you so afraid of? You think I'm going to turn you into a toad? Ha! Ha! Ha!… Come to think of it, that sounds pretty fun!"

"Don't!" Rock cried, holding his ragged teddy bear over him as a pathetic shield.

Claire watched the scene with her hands over her mouth. What was going on? Who was that lady, and was she behind all of this drama? What was she using Rock for?

The Goddess patted Claire's knee. Upon receiving her touch, Claire mysteriously returned to her blissful calm, watching the two down below as carelessly and casually as watching a movie. Being in the vicinity of the Harvest Goddess gave Claire a pleasurable tingle, as though she were being massaged, or like finishing off a hot cup of cocoa. Claire hoped more than anything that she might be able to trust her.

'_That's the Witch Princess_', the Goddess explained telepathically, holding onto a tree branch and looking down at the scene with a morose face. '_She's always playing pranks on everyone, and getting on all our nerves for years. I fear this time she's taken it a little too far, though._'

'_Was she by any chance playing around with me and Jill, and the rest of the villagers recently? Like spreading rumors?'_

'_Spreading rumors is one of the Witch Princess's favorite things. And since you and Jill are the new kids in town, you two are her current favorite guinea pigs. You could always wait it out if you wanted to, and wait until she picks someone else. Not likely anytime soon, though. She knows that Jack is _my _territory, and she wouldn't _dare _mess with him this time!'_

'_What can I do to get her to, uh, go away?'_

The Goddess shrugged. _'Sorry, dear. I've been trying to figure it out myself. These duels of magic spells have gone on for centuries, and cools down and starts back up every few decades or so. Now she's gone back to playing with the villagers like dolls.'_

'_I sincerely hope she doesn't make voodoo dolls.'_

'_That's forbidden. I would hope she doesn't dare to go that far. But she has been possessing that poor dimwitted boy for a little while. Oh! I do know one way to help alleviate some of this, though. Here's what you have to do. Just keep an eye on Rock, and when you get the chance--"_

The Goddess and the Witch Princess alike stopped what they were doing, and wore matching deer-in-the-headlights expressions. The Goddess jumped up and down in a panic before vanishing in a puff of blue-green smoke, leaving Claire hanging with a spinning sensation in her head.

"I'll play with you later," the Witch Princess told Rock in a harsh whisper, snapping her fingers again. Rock immediately fell unconscious, and the two of them disappeared in a puff of similar purple smoke.

Claire trembled as the color drained from her face. As she heard the approach of crunching footsteps through the bushes and fallen leaves, she held on tightly to the tree branches.

"Look what we have here," said a male voice. Shrubs not far from the tree began to rustle before they separated, and out came a very thin-looking boy that couldn't have been much older than Claire. He was by far the craziest thing Claire had seen all night, scrawny and adorned with a leopard-print jacket top and purple slacks, all fine suede. His hair was long and sleek, unnaturally shiny and, as Claire guessed, styled in fringy layers by razor. It was as silver as starlight, with a light purple halo around his crown from the moonlight. -- Silver hair? Wait a minute….

Claire snorted and turned away as soon as she saw the black plastic ballroom mask and potato sack in his hands. Not that she didn't believe him before, but Jack was definitely right. And this creep had the audacity to come by their farm and pluck their apples?

"A little maiden stuck in a tree, how precious!" the young man giggled, playing with his light, feathery silver bangs. Matching bracelets and a pendant necklace glittered and dazzled him all the more. Handsome though he was, his smile was insincere, his chivalric gentlemanly charm a sickening façade. "Come down, little kitten, and I'll share with you some of the treasures I've got!"

"I don't think so," Claire snapped. "You're that no-good, rotten apple thief that Jack saw on our farm! I suggest you beat it before I slap some sense into you."

The boy frowned, pretending to be hurt as he brought his hand to his chest. "Is that the way a beautiful lady should talk to her hopeful prince? I'm your Robin Hood, and those apples went to a needy family, I'll have you know. Won't you come down so I can get a better look at your perfect feminine grace?"

"Look, you asshole," Claire addressed him before jumping out of the tree. She landed on her feet, but with a painful banging ache in her heels that brought a dizzying pain to her head. "I'm not in the mood for your sugar-coated crap right now, so just go. And while you're at it, how about you hand over that bag before you get yourself into deeper trouble?"

He brought the sack around behind his back and winked at her teasingly. "I can't say no to a princess in her lovely, flattering nightgown. How about you try and catch me first, and then I just might have to surrender in exchange for a little kiss."

Claire looked down at her nightgown, checking to make sure the buttons at the top were all closed. She folded her arms over her chest area and growled angrily, her face turning red.

"Is that red I see on your face? You poor little darling, you're frustrated and full of lust!"

"Who the hell _are_ you?" she finally burst out loud.

"I'm the famous Phantom Skye," he replied, bowing low. "I'd kiss your hand, but I'm afraid you're a bit too modest to let me have it for just a moment."

"You have _no idea_ what I've been through today," Claire seethed, her teeth clenched and her fists shaking. "Everything's already gone horribly wrong as it is, and you're only going to make my life all the more miserable, aren't you? I won't tell anyone a thing if you just go and _get the hell away from me_. I'm serious. I need my sleep, dammit!"

Skye's baby-blue eyes broadened in unafraid fascination. "A feisty one, are we? Well, my dear, I'm sorry you're having a bad day. Let me give you a present." The silver-haired thief dropped his arm to his side and let his bracelet slide off and hit the ground at Claire's bare feet.

"You're disgusting."

"I love you too, my darling! Stay beautiful!" Skye flashed her some sort of gang sign with his fingers, gathered his belongings and did a backflip into the bushes, his legs springy and nimble.

Claire picked up the bracelet and looked at the moon's reflection in its polished silver flawlessness. Perhaps it could be sold for a good profit. Or she could turn it in to the authorities.

Or, better yet, this could still be a dream. Spinning the bracelet around and around on her index finger, Claire whistled a tune as she walked back to the farmhouse. Tomorrow morning when she woke up, hopefully she wouldn't have the faintest recollection of all this insanity.


	22. Framed

Fall 25th

The farmhouse - 9:02 a.m.

Claire squirmed only just a little, her head comfortably nestled in warm softness. Her eyes still shut, she could only see that she was emerging from the deep, infinite blackness of undisturbed sleep. Her eyelids were so heavy, it was as if she hadn't opened them for weeks, but she could tell that it was light outside. Did they forget to close the curtains last night?

Only a handful of birds remained in Forget-Me-Not Valley, stubbornly procrastinating their annual migration elsewhere. It was amazing that any of them would want to hang out at the farm and sing their pretty, high-pitched chirping morning songs. It reminded Claire of wind chimes, which she would have loved to wake up to in place of an aggravating alarm clock any and every morning.

Claire opened her eyes. The image of the low fence, green-brown lawn, and scenic dirt road came into view, lovely as a printing on a cereal box. The sun had risen to a halfway point in the morning sky, a bright white-yellow orb beaming proudly over their ranch.

'_How pretty._'

She yawned and stretched, then rubbed her eyes before snapping them open again.

"What the hell!"

Someone had torn up their lawn. Badly. Claire glanced upon the vast front lawn in shock, counting four little holes already. Little, but deep. Loose clumps of brown dirt lay scattered all over, mixed in with splatters of eggplant and what seemed to be blue paint. Sure enough, several feet off to the side, someone abandoned a large wooden paintbrush. This would take weeks to fix.

Claire brought her hands up to her hair in panic. Jill was going to have a _cow_ when she woke up and saw this. And… ouch! What was this scratching at the skin of her inner wrist?

It took a few seconds for the blonde to realize, this was the second time she'd woken up with random foreign objects in her hair. This morning it was a blue feather, and not that of a tiny bluebird either. It was the size of a giant eagle's feather, probably colored artificially, with beads tied to the end of it. Pretty though it was, it was still unwelcome.

It got even worse than that.

Claire dropped her jaw in horror when she realized, she was _outside_, in the middle of the day, still in her green nightgown, which was probably transparent in the sunlight. Crossing her arms over her chest for modesty, she saw Jill lying beneath her, the taller girl's legs intertwined with her own, arms thrown back as if they had been tied or pinned there. Jill lay with her train wreck of a ponytail strewn about her neck and shoulder, snoring softly without a care in the world, her pajamas twisted from moving in her sleep. Together they had been lying there in the hammock that she thought Jack took with him when he moved to the Inn. How long had they been there?

"Mmm, what are you yelling about at this hour?" Jill murmured, turning over. Claire watched as it slowly registered in Jill's mind that the back of her head and neck were stiff from lying on a net of thick, rough ropes. Her friend's eyes cracked open slightly. "What time is it anyway?"

"I would guess about nine," Claire said sorrowfully. "Um, Jill? Can you hurry and wake up, please? I think we're gonna have a big problem here."

"It's _nine_? You've got to be kidding, we're late!" Jill sprang upright, jumped off the hammock and smoothened out her pajamas. "Go feed the chickens and I'll get the sheep and the cow!"

Claire pulled on Jill's shoulder before she could get away. "No, stupid. Look!" She thrust a finger out and swept it over the entire view of their farm. Jill stood dumbfounded, looking at everything from the splatters of dirt and paint, to the hammock they were sleeping in.

Then she took the blue feather from Claire's hair. "Weird."

"Yeah, okay. Now look at _that_!" Claire crossed the yard in her bare feet, mindful of the wet paint and holes in the grass, and leaned against a crude white wooden sign that someone put in the yard. The closer she approached it, the larger it seemed to be, and standing right in front of it, Claire realized that this sign was so huge it could have blocked out the morning sun if one sat on the ground.

"What the hell is _this_?" Jill wailed. As she gathered up her thick brown hair to bundle into a fresher ponytail, she walked around to the other side. Her hair fell from her hands as she dropped her arms to the side, the center T-zone of her face turning a sickening green color. Quickly she clasped onto her stomach.

"Homosexuality Is A Sin? Two Gay Rights: AIDS and Hell? GOD HATES DYKES?!" Jill roared. "Who the hell did this? Rip this shit down!" Jill sprinted into the house, leaving the door wide open. Claire witnessed her nearly tear off the top of their tool chest in frantic search of their hammer. She came charging out like a warrior, poised to club the wooden sign with all her might.

"What a huge, huge mistake." Claire plopped onto the ground as Jill tried to kick her out of the way. With perfect timing as always, who should happen to come running up to the farm for work other than Jack himself. His running pace cooled down into a jog, then a slow walk as he made his way up, his face growing more and more stern with each passing second.

He seemed to have aged ten years in ten seconds. Jack was wearing the same worry wrinkles that Jill had yesterday. Claire looked at him desperately, and Jack only responded with his mouth shaped in a big, nauseous half-circle.

"Oh my god," was all he said.

"You're just in time! I was just about to destroy this!" Jill called to him.

"I'll help." Jack rolled up the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt and crossed over to Jill, unable to help re-reading the sign first. "I can't believe this. Who would do something like that?"

"Probably some religious people passing by and giving out pamphlets. Looks like they got the wrong house, though. I mean, who in this village is gay?"

Claire and Jack fell completely silent and looked at the ground.

Jill dropped her hammer and it hit the ground with a deafening _thud._

"You two _know_ something. What's going on?"

Jack took off his cap politely and bowed his head low.

"Jill," Claire started, standing up and looking at her friend solemnly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think it was a big deal, so we didn't tell you before, but the whole village seems to think that _we_ are."

Jill paused, looking to her left, then her right. She pursed her lips in tightly and snorted heavily through her nostrils, and waved her arms dramatically without saying a word. Claire and Jack backed away and huddled together in fear.

"So," she said softly, "you dragged me out here to sleep together in the hammock, for all the world to see? That's not very helpful. In fact, that's _retarded_. What were you thinking?"

"I didn't do it! We went to bed inside the house last night, remember? I don't know how we got out here! Someone broke in and dragged us out!"

"_Like hell they did, Claire! Nobody just breaks in and drags two sleeping people out._" Jill raised her voice, her blood boiling.

"That's the thing, though!" Claire shouted. "We would have woken each other up if it was _our_ doing!"

"I have nothing to do with this!"

Jack bent down and picked the blue feather up from the ground, examining it between his fingers and frowning with his lower lip visibly sticking out. He looked at them as they argued, his face full of both pain and dismay.

"Do you two know what this is?" he interrupted calmly. Claire and Jill stared at him as though he were an idiot.

"No," Claire responded.

"I don't have time for this!" Jill screamed.

"It's not anyone's fault. Someone did this to you guys. This is a dying tradition in our province, and Forget-Me-Not Valley is one of the few places left that still uses this."

"For what?" Jill snarled sarcastically. "Anti-Homosexuality protest?"

"No. The blue feather is given to your marriage prospect, as a means of proposal. Blue feathers are extremely _rare_ these days! What a shame to waste it on something so stupid like this." Jack cradled the feather in his hand, stroking it carefully to comb it free of dirt and grass.

Claire could only stare at the feather. She bit her lip so hard that it started to bleed, re-read the sign, and felt her heart breaking even harder inside her chest. Her stomach and chest heaved and she sniffled, holding in strong sobs. Tears welled up in her eyes, first in the corners, and then streaming to the centers, blurring her vision as her head began to ache. She was really crying this time, after many opportunities had presented themselves before during back-breaking labor, or minor accidents, or… losing Marlin. But this was the last straw.

Jill picked up the hammer, her face and body crimson with rage. The brunette slammed the older man in the chest with her elbow, pushing him to the ground before stepping into her swing like a batter at plate, and _WHACKED _the sign so hard, and so loud, that the few birds left hurried their way up into the fall sky. The planks separated and fell to the ground, split down the middle. Jill banged on them again before throwing the hammer down and jumping, stomping on them as hard as her little body allowed.

"I'm… I'm gonna go talk to Takakura," Jack decided. "You two just… uh… do whatever you like. Leave the farming to the men today, huh?"

"Thank you," Jill said, picking up the hammer with the remainders of her dignity, and marched back to the house with Claire with her head held high.

It seemed that still only a man had the power to break Jill's spirit. As Claire broke down in tears inside the house, Jill stamped around angrily, frightening the pets. Secretly Claire hoped that nobody would get caught being the guilty party. She knew Jill was going to make someone pay dearly, delivering punishment much heavier than the culprits deserved.

Furthermore, Claire was paralyzed with fear for just one more thing, something she wouldn't be able to explain to anyone. But eventually, if Jill ever calmed down, her distraught best friend would definitely ask. What happened last night, and why couldn't Claire remember anything?


	23. Closer Than That

Fall 25th

The Farmhouse - 10:17 p.m.

Claire's friendship with Jill, through all its ups and downs, basically followed one consistent trend that prevailed no matter what: Claire like the little child, Jill the supporter. And if there had to be any romantic connection for whatever reason, it was clear to see that Jill would be the one "in charge" and Claire the one that enjoyed being taken care of. Jill was strong and resilient, not just in body but in mind, heart, and spirit. They were closer than sisters, and more than anything Claire merely looked up to her.

By now their weekly "rations" from Karen's supermarket had dwindled down to a few packages of rice balls. Claire unwrapped the plastic sheet and bit into the blandness, knowing that at least it would be filling enough to temporarily fix the gap feeling in her stomach. In theory, she thought, it should have been so easy to just come out and _say_, "I'm not like that", but before the chance availed itself, things got blown way the hell out of proportion.

The blonde glanced up at Jill and remembered when they first started hanging out. Not that she didn't feel any genuine affection for the taller, brawnier girl… but she was the only other girl around. It was only natural and logical that they'd eventually become roommates and pull each other through college. Claire expected that, had they stayed in Flower Bud, they'd graduate and go their separate ways, Claire starting out with a mediocre job, and Jill… who knows.

Claire squinted beneath the light of the tiny lamp at the back of the house. Insects chirped and the dog sniffed around, and Jill stood near her, rigid as a soldier at attention. That was it -- Jill probably could have gone to a bigger town somewhere and enlisted in the military. She was totally cut out for that sort of thing.

For the entire day, the two hardly spoke a word to each other. Jill sulked during the daytime, sharpening the tools or dusting random parts of the house. Claire entertained the thought, outrageous though it was, trying to seek some rationale for what had been going on.

She came upon the conclusion that, if she was indeed _that way_, Jill honestly wouldn't have been a bad candidate. When she took her ponytail down, Jill actually kind of resembled that Karen girl in a way -- mysterious and sexy, pretty enough for a shampoo commercial with that long, thick, perfectly straight hair with not even a spot of discoloration. When she was happy, her eyes glimmered a deep purple-blue, just like the Goddess Pond. And she had long, curving lashes that were naturally fluttery.

The only thing was, Claire couldn't have been the only one in the village wishing to see Jill in something else other than athletic tees. And she knew that if she ever told Jill that she was pretty, especially that now was the worst possible time, she'd be beaten down _hard_.

Claire tried not to let Jill see her smile as she remembered something that happened a long time ago.

--

At that picnic table where they'd first met, fall was just beginning. Their lazy professor had already left the community college forty-five minutes ago, and Jill finally found a way to amuse herself beneath that big oak tree. Claire placed her bookmark between two pages of the newest romance novel she had been reading, and noticed the boys in the class running out the door to witness some action going on.

One fairly large boy, Caleb, was notorious for being the toughest person in the class, and probably the dumbest. He had a wide pancake face, which in retrospect almost reminded Claire of their cow Momoko. More fat than muscular, he was a towering six feet tall, he ate enough to feed Claire's family for a week in just one lunch hour, and his clothes never fit him properly, bulging a little at the 'love handles' like he kept a spare tire in there. It went unspoken that he was unanimously voted most likely to be a farmer, what with his boasting about his family background -- nearly all the bacon in their rural province came from his family's farm.

Today Big Caleb was doubled over, his fat bottom almost breaking the bench, as he clutched his massive lobster-red arm, wheezing worse than that weird guy in black from those Star Wars movies that came from the city. Jill sat opposite him, beaming, her sleeves rolled up past her elbows. A stack of paper money sat on the table, no doubt building and building by the minute.

"Are you doing what I _think_ you're doing?" Claire burst, running to the scene and stopping abruptly when she realized that the stack of bills was inches thick.

"You missed it! That was my last opponent for the afternoon, and the show's over. Check it out." Jill picked up the wad of money and fanned it out. "Let's go out to dinner tonight, my treat."

A full entourage of boys mumbled and sighed, taking their leave in disappointment in shame, moving down the path in an elephant herd.

"You're unbelievable!"

"Play me," Jill commanded, flexing out her arm with her hand open to receive Claire's.

"You've got to be kidding me. I need that arm to help my mom make carrot cake tonight!" Claire whined, clutching her books to her chest for protection.

Promptly Jill switched arms, rolling up the sleeve of her left and grunting with determination.

"Fine, then you get a handicap. I'll play with my left arm, which I rarely ever use. If you win, I'll pay for your meal at the new seafood restaurant that just opened up. If I win, then I'm having dinner at your place and eating carrot cake for dessert. Deal?"

"So either way, you're getting rewarded for collecting all the guys' money after crushing their egos."

"What's wrong with getting the highest grades in class _and_ being the toughest? Huh? How 'bout it? I seem to recall that you really like lobster…."

Claire felt a flood of watering under her tongue. She had lobster tails only once in her life, when she made Honor Roll at thirteen and happened to be visiting her uncle at the time. Uncle Greg knew everything there was to know about seafood, and made a special dinner that night of lobster tails with an extra dish of butter just for Claire, with slices of squash, broccoli, carrots…. She'd never told her mother that she _almost_ liked Uncle Greg's lobster dinner better than her homemade chicken pot pie.

Without realizing it, Claire was sitting down at the table with her arm extended, gripping Jill's hand in hers. The fantasy of a lobster platter in front of her, next to a giant pitcher of root beer, and a bib tied around her neck, almost brought tears to her eyes. She never heard Jill say "Go".

"You know, that restaurant is always packed," Jill teased her as her arm remained straight and still, while Claire huffed and puffed, pushing against Jill's palm with all her strength. "If you're wanting to go eat lobster, we'll need to get there within the next few minutes. Mmm, I can taste that homemade carrot cake right now…."

"Grrrr!"

"Oh, good! There ya go, get mad!" Jill relaxed, the grip of her hand softening as her muscles loosened. Slowly she reclined her arm back and let Claire slam it against the wooden table.

"Easy there," Jill said, feigning pain as she withdrew her arm and shook it out. "You want your lobster? Then let's go get some."

--

"And what's made _you_ so happy all of a sudden?" Jill asked, raising her eyebrows at Claire's goofy smile. In that instant Claire was brought back down to earth, back to the pre-winter chill, back to the sounds of night insects. Back to a gloomy farm and an unhappy household.

"Nothing."

"Mmm." To Claire's surprise, Jill delved into her pocket and slid out a familiar-looking white rectangular box, then offered her a cigarette.

"Jill! You smoke?"

"Ehh… I wouldn't say that I _smoke_, but that I am smok-_ing_, just for right now." Jill puffed and bent down, bringing her face close to Claire's, as she lit her friend's cigarette with the end of her own.

"I'm really sorry about all this." Claire hung her head in sadness, watching as a thin line of smoke climbed up into the air in a straight line, then swirled around at the top, eventually dissipating a few inches above her head.

"Hey, well, I've been worried more about _you_ than anything else. I know how much you hate rumors and gossip. I grew up with three older brothers, and I don't really know what it's like to see people cry. But I think we'll get through this somehow. Somebody's probably just jealous; we've got a really nice farm, we're probably bringing in more money than their crappy little establishments, things like that. But here's one thing I want to know -- can we report this as a hate crime even if what they think about us is totally wrong?"

"I wouldn't know."

"And what the hell was with that blue feather?"

Claire shrugged. "Jack took it. He seems to think it's a fascinating souvenir."

Jill screwed up her face, puckering as though she had tasted something sour. Then she grumbled and snorted uncomfortably, finally cracking up with insane laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"Why would I want to marry _you_? Shouldn't a big strong girl like me go after someone more feminine?"

"What the hell _ever_! Why would I marry _you_? I have taste!"

"You think chicks like Nami are prettier than me?" Jill stuck her tongue out and laughed even harder.

"At least she has a lot more sense, in general. You wear a _fanny pack_ sometimes."

"Well, excuse me. I forgot to add that you're prissy."

"Lumber jack!"

"Fairy princess!"

"Your mom."

Their stomachs ached from laughing as they went back inside the house, throwing fake punches at each other and yanking on each other's hair.

Hopefully they would be fine, Claire thought. So long as people were willing to open their eyes and see the truth. It just took a matter of time.


	24. Trick or Treat

Fall 30th

This morning Claire thought the new round table she and Jill had just ordered was enough excitement as it was. Sitting there now, she glowed with happiness, holding the last apples and grapes of the year that Jill allowed her to have. Weaving a basket to hold them in made her heart swell with memories of home -- not the rapidly-evolving Flower Bud City, but the Flower Bud Village she knew as a child. Claire had an amazing mother that could put Martha Stewart to shame, and taught her all manner of useful and decorative things alike, including how to weave festive baskets for each season. Twisting, braiding, and weaving her rough strips of reed, she wondered if it was too late to attempt a cornucopia.

Recent social issues clouded the fact that, for their very first autumn, Jill and Claire reaped a bountiful harvest. Even though they had resigned to a hermit lifestyle, it dawned on Claire that there were still little things in life to celebrate.

Claire didn't tell Jill that the reason for her lighter mood was that she was contemplating a winter break, a decision she had slept on for many nights. She liked to think that they shared the same fighting spirit, the same fiery heart -- which, for all she knew, probably ignited those rumors in the first place. What was the point in staying? Maybe by now they had learned all they needed to know about the farming gig, and with this ugliness lingering like a black storm cloud over their roof, the feeling of victory they had hoped for turned out to be watered down. In her mind, Claire already had one foot out the door, and to make up for all of this in some way, she'd either leave the whole farm to Jack, or do something noble with the money after all the animals were sold. As far as she was concerned, it was time to leave.

In addition, not even Claire's personal journal knew that the blonde had been having more and more strange dreams of those little gnome-like people that appeared on TV once in awhile. Some were frightening, some were hilarious, but all were just confusing. They felt more realistic even than daydreams. She was beginning to think that perhaps she had gone crazy, just like people tend to say about small towns with nothing to do in them, just like this one.

Jill's guilty shopping pleasure came in the form of Van's Bodigizer and Turbojolt energy drinks. Claire had accompanied her friend to the fat man's shop at the Inn just the other day, her own ulterior motive lying in a shiny new DVD player for the house. She even gave a convincing argument: they'd need something to do over the long winter season.

The Inn had been completely devoid of people. A growing feeling of dread began eating away at Claire's stomach; what if there were tons of people here laughing and chatting five minutes ago, but they all disappeared once they knew she and Jill were coming? All part of the healing and getting-over process, she figured. After all, how were they supposed to ignore and overcome the ignorance if they showed their fear of it?

Claire was able to hold her head high, but only until she saw familiar-looking pointed leather shoes. Only one person wore tacky high heels like that, and that woman came marching proudly down the stairs, though at a turtle-slow pace. Claire grimaced as she recognized the puffy, white cotton-candy hair teased and piled high on the woman's head, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, a pointy triangle nose that stood like a lighthouse in a rippling sea of wrinkles, an antique umbrella, and enormous handbag large enough to fit a group of small animals in.

Lumina's grandmother Romana, whom Claire calculated to be somewhere between seventy and death, walked with a showy, arrogant stroll down the stairs, "accidentally" hitting the other side of the staircase with the pointed end of her umbrella and striking Jill in the foot. The brunette squeezed her eyes shut and pursed her lips, but still forced a polite smile. Claire knew she was going to feel that later on, and she'd have to be the one to tend to Jill's swollen ankle.

"Hmph. Do you know that during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the blue feather symbolized the secret society for homosexuals and bisexuals?" the old woman rasped nastily, pointing her nose in the air and holding a handkerchief to it, swaying her hips as she made her way past them and directly out the front door.

Claire tensed all the muscles in her body, raised a fist and felt all her blood rise straight up into her ears, but Jill's grasp on her arm was too painful. The older girl shook her head. '_It's not worth it,'_ her eyes seemed to say.

Jill went back to the lobby and watched out the window until no one was in sight, then silently retreated to the farm, slinking carefully around town like a ninja. Claire still didn't leave without her DVD player, but that was that. Romana had made it perfectly clear, more than once, that they were unwanted. They reached an unspoken agreement not to go out in public too much.

Two days had passed after that little incident, and now Claire found herself weaving a basket in the height of her cabin fever. This was not going well. An intricate, finely-handcrafted rope of reed and straw snapped in half in her shaking pink hands.

Loud thumping noises at the door broke Claire's reverie. Her first instinct was to leap for the door, and join the dog Moon-chan in hyperactive excitement, jumping up and down and yelping for love of long-desired company. But instead she hesitated, combing her bright sunny hair with her fingers and shaking pieces of loose straw from her overalls. She couldn't help thinking that perhaps it wouldn't hurt to answer the door armed with their sharp, newly-upgraded sickle.

"Hey," Jack greeted her casually, speaking as though nothing in the world had changed… except for his outfit. He wore a large boat-shaped hat folded out of black construction paper, an eye patch, an old wrinkled blouse with holes in it beneath a long, dusty button-up coat, and cheap baggy patchwork pants, accented with a pair of smelly boots.

"What are you doing? You look retarded," Claire told him numbly.

"It's the Pumpkin Festival today! I'm supposed to be a pirate," Jack explained, pivoting to show her a full all-around view of his shabby costume. "Don't tell me you've never done this before. It's when kids dress up and go door-to-door and get candy."

Claire slapped her forehead and snorted humorously. "For kids, huh? I guess that really does explain why you're here."

"Awww, don't be so mean. Come out and have fun with me!"

"Dressed like Murrey, that homeless guy? I don't think so."

"Then at least give me some chocolate! Do you have any?" Jack held out a flower-patterned pillowcase, so obviously stolen from the Inner Inn.

Claire sighed. Of course Jack was going to be hell-bent about this; that was typical, difficult Jack. She went to the refrigerator and found the untouched stack of chocolate bars, grabbing one and warming it for a few seconds between her hands.

"That's one good serving of hot cocoa you're taking away from me," she said icily.

"There's more where that came from if you come with me," Jack pleaded. His brown eyes softened and enlarged, reminding her of the cow Momoko. He reached out and grabbed her elbow, his bottom lip poking out just a little. Now Claire knew why he was so successful in getting dates with all those women.

"I don't wear anything that ridiculous. Besides, nobody wants to see us. That'll only bring us more vegetables thrown at our house, and Jill's gonna go all emo on us again."

Jack pondered for a moment, then pushed the door open and quite rudely marched his way into the house, dropping his pillowcase and ripping the comforters off the bed.

"And just what are you looking for?" Claire demanded angrily. "Jill and I _both_ happen to be neat freaks, you know!"

"I'll fold it all up for you when you're done," Jack promised hastily. From the inside pocket of his pirate coat, he took out a miniature sewing kit, and a tiny pair of scissors out of that. Holding a bed sheet up high and draping it over his head, he hummed gleefully as Claire snorted again and threw up her arms in exasperation. Then Jack began to cut out two holes--

"Hey, you asshole! Those sheets cost a lot!" she yelled. Jack approached her like a hungry wolf, and she shrank back in fear before he draped the bed sheet over her head, rearranging it so that she peered out of the two holes and could see clearly.

"There, now you're a ghost." Jack seized Claire by the hand, shook one of the plump pillows out of its case, and ran for the door. "Let's go!"

"This doesn't make the least little bit of sense," Claire grumbled.

"No need to be embarrassed. Nobody will know it's you. Just don't say anything, and I'll tell people that you're just being shy. I've got a few little friends that I promised to take on this little adventure anyway. Come on out, guys!" Jack hollered to the thin air.

Claire turned around, her ghost costume swishing around the baggy legs of her overalls, and noticed signs of movement, tiny moving shadows, seeming to dance from around the corner of the horse stable. Three pointed triangles, cone hats made of felt, poked into the air: one yellow, one red, one blue. Her knees turned to water as she realized that they were the little gnomes in her dreams. Upon seeing them more up-close, she took note of their thin, pointed ears that shot up like antennas. Were they elves?

She pinched herself beneath the white sheet, which brought her nothing more than a painful red spot.

"Claire, these little dudes are Chamy, Brushy, and Karaf," Jack introduced her.

The three little gnomes bounced happily in place, kind of cute in their brightly-colored long-sleeved outfits and matching black buckled belts. Still, there was something unnaturally wrong about people who were only about a foot tall. Claire briefly recalled her strange dreams about nearly a hundred of these little creatures, a green-haired lady in blue and green elegant dress, and a blond witch.

"Hi!" they rang out together in high-pitched voices, waving frantically.

"I'm not going to ask any questions," Claire told Jack firmly, her arms crossed. "Just don't… um…."

"Don't worry, they'll be out of your way the entire time," Jack reassured her.

--

So Claire marched along in this insane little freak show without protest, grumbling under her breath beneath the white sheet. But Jack seemed to be right thus far -- nobody recognized her. All the establishments opened their doors every few minutes to welcome the village's children and give out candy. Not that there were many children in the village to start with, so Claire decided, fortunately for her, that this escapade should only take maybe twenty minutes, tops.

The first place they came to was Dr. Hardy's. The old man opened the door, squinted to adjust his eyes to the bizarre spectacle, and as calmly as ever, he began to drop chocolate bars into the adults' pillowcases and the little gnomes' tiny ones.

"You're being kind as usual this year," the doctor said to Jack. "Helping get candy for the little sick children with that weird disease, I see. And who might you be?" He turned to Claire, who noticed that for this occasion, he wore pumpkin-patterned toe socks underneath his sandals.

"My cousin Carol, from back home," Jack replied for her immediately. "She's terribly shy, and rarely even talks. In fact some people think she's mute!" He chuckled and threw his arm around his "cousin", who glared at him in annoyance.

"Poor kid. Have an extra candy apple," the doctor told Claire, dropping an extra caramel-covered fruit, wrapped in plastic, into her pillowcase. Claire couldn't help smiling. Dr. Hardy wasn't so evil after all.

Jack took their comical little group everywhere, repeating many times that Claire was his mute cousin Carol, and that the silly, hyper gnomes were children with growth disorders.

"Is this the first time that these little gnomes have done this?" Claire asked curiously on the walk back from Romana's mansion, bouncing her pillowcase and marveling at its weight, filled almost halfway with sparkling candies.

"They're not gnomes, they're the Harvest Sprites," Jack corrected her. "They're sensitive about that, you know. Sorry, little buddies, she didn't know. She didn't meant to offend you," he apologized to the three creatures.

"So… _heavy_!" the little red one squeaked, trying to hold his bag of candy high above his head, his tiny arms shaking. The other two were slowly and painfully dragging theirs along.

"Okay," Jack said with a chuckle. "I'll help you carry all that back. Well, Claire, that was the last house. I hope you had fun."

"I really did," Claire admitted. "I only hope I won't have to go back to the doctor after I eat this."

Jack pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her shoulders and pressing his rough costume against the ruined white bed sheet. Claire hoped Jill found this festival a good enough explanation. She didn't know what she was missing.

--

"So you're saying," Jill started, chewing her candy apple and poking through the pile on the floor, "that they go around dressed funny and get candy for it?"

"That's exactly it," Claire said, unwrapping a piece of white and brown taffy and popping it into her mouth. "Mmmm."

"Which is supposed to be for kids, and Jack did it anyway."

"That's him. You know he has no shame."

"Ya damn right he doesn't. Hey -- what's that?" Jill raised her eyebrow and pointed to a cluster that Claire overlooked.

Claire gathered the items in her hands and frowned. Not only were they inedible, they were yet again rude gestures. Somehow, somebody had figured her out. Either that, or they didn't like ghosts.

A rock, clumps of weeds, a tin can, and a tiny black, leather-bound copy of the Holy Bible.

"Aw, maaan!"

"Guess someone figured out there was something wrong with the ditzy, air-headed ghost," Jill teased, kicking the junk aside and picking up a few pieces of genuine candy. "At least we got a few little goodies from these fickle, ignorant people. Thanks for the candy, assholes."


	25. Winter Moments

Winter 1st

As Jill scurried about the house retrieving and shaking out the winter quilts, Claire puffed and rubbed her arms. The moment she left the house to begin the morning routine, she was hit by a crazy flurry of snowflakes, falling rapidly and moving like a colony of fleeing ants from their burning home. Fortunately, as Jill had predicted, there wasn't much to do in winter. Back inside the warmth of the farmhouse, the powdered sugar-like coat she wore melted and clung to her clothes like icy rain.

In the same way that fall came, winter hit the valley from out of nowhere. The two girls walked out the front door at six a.m. sharp as usual, and marveled at the vast field that looked like a plain wedding cake without the candy flowers: flat, evenly-iced, with a sweet appearance about it. Claire dreaded ruining it with her first footprints, wincing at the softest crunching sound she'd ever heard, right beneath her boots. Snowflakes bigger than soap flakes hurled themselves to the ground like a meteor swarm, heavily dusting their hair and their eyebrows. The little dog Moon-chan barked excitedly and trotted around in circles for only about five minutes before desperately howling and pawing at the door, so white that he looked like a different dog entirely.

Tears of nostalgia warmed Claire's face, contrasting against the cold slush melting at her cheeks and neck, as she sat bent over a letter that came from her mother this morning. She ran her fingertips over the raised rose-patterned print on her mother's expensive stationery, and when she closed her eyes she could smell her mother's apron, a blend of banana-nut bread, coffee cake, and pie crust scents. She remembered sitting by the fireplace reading stories with her little brother Mark.

"I miss you guys," Claire whined, sniffling and wiping her tears away, rereading Mother's closing in her flawless penmanship, large and clear, looping cursive.

'_No matter what, I'll always love you, and I'll always be proud of my little girl, my first child. Mark and I miss you so much, and remember that if anything happens, you're more than welcome to come home, and stay for as long as you like._

_Love,_

_Mother'_

"Aww, from your mom?" Jill commented, examining the stitches in her old snowman blanket.

"Yeah. Everything's going fine back home. My little brother Mark -- he's turning sixteen soon, and he thinks he wants to do the farming thing too. He joined the FFFB."

"What's that?"

"Future Farmers of Flower Bud. He gets to wear this dorky uniform and attend conventions. Heheheh."

"He look like you?"

"Just about. He got our dad's bright green eyes."

"What else about your dad?"

"Divorce, when Mark was two."

"I'm sorry."

"Eh, no big deal. We get birthday money and all that, but that's about it. Pfff; if he could see me now…."

"_Yoo-hoooo! Anybody home?_"

Jill and Claire looked up and sighed in exasperation. It seemed that not a day passed in which nobody came to the door. On some occasions Claire wished it was Takakura, announcing he'd give the deed to the farm to Jack. Or that Marlin was coming with an apology and a home-cooked dish, or at least just an apology. Or that it was Rock coming with that special-kid smile on his face and something stupid to say, so that Claire could vent and unleash her pent-up rage, and punch his pretty-boy lights out.

"Come in," Jill called out loud, pulling the new winter bed sheets taut and spreading them over their queen-sized mattress. She wore her hair down again, but today, in her light-heartedness, she looked soft and delicate, almost motherly. Her hard tomboyish exterior melted like the thin layer of snowflakes on her skin, whenever she was inside the house.

Claire jumped in alarm when the door creaked open. Whoever it was looked like a snow monster, or a lonely, burly man who had lived alone in a cabin for years, like in those horror movies. He had a thick, bushy brown beard, wore a flannel hat and shirt, and… sunglasses?

"Hey, good morning! Happy Winter!" Gustafa greeted them, setting down his backpack by the front door and brushing a layer of fresh snow onto their wooden floor. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, not at all," Jill said warmly. "Our work is done for the day. We're just opening up boxes of old winter quilts. What's keeping you busy this winter? Oh, and nice hat."

"Heheheh." Gustafa played with a pink camelia peeping from his striped red flannel hat, which Claire could only guess that he made by himself especially for the season. "I just thought we might sit and chat over some hot cocoa. I went to town recently and couldn't resist buying." Quickly he unzipped his backpack and took out a large silver thermos, steam billowing in a thin sheet from beneath the tight space underneath the cap. "Got any mugs?"

"Yeah, definitely. Come have a seat at the table," Claire welcomed him, drying the last of her tears and tucking the letter away under the fruit basket she'd made.

"While we're here," Gustafa said, shaking up a can of whipped cream, "I just wanted to come and apologize. I heard all about what happened, and I was totally outraged. I've been here for almost four years already, and I thought I had seen it all, but what those punks did was just outright _mean_, man." With passion, he squeezed the aerosol can and shot layers of rippling white that spiraled high over Claire's mug, almost spilling over the ceramic sides.

"Appreciate it," Claire told him, licking a mustache of whipped cream from her mouth. "Oh _God_, Gustafa, this stuff is _great_!"

Gustafa leaned back, his sunglasses glaring in the light. "Ahhh. Every year I want to write the perfect lyrics to match the happiness that comes from the sweet taste of hot chocolate, but I never manage to find the right words."

"Do you know any good songs about winter?" Jill inquired, a sleepy look coming over her face as she blissfully savored the bittersweet cocoa flavor.

"No, but I did bring a little something, if I can borrow your record player!"

"Have at it."

When Gustafa came back to the table, he smiled, waved his fingers to the music, and began to sing along to the record:

'_What a day this has been_

_What a rare mood I'm in_

_Why it's almost like being in love_

_There's a smile on my face_

_For the whole human race…'_

"It's Frank Sinatra, my hero," Gustafa explained. "I've been singing his songs since I was just a little kid. I always listen to him when I'm feeling down." Then he sighed, scratched his head and took a long draught from his cup without saying a word for several moments. Claire didn't need him to take off his sunglasses in order to know that his eyes were deep, but this time with sadness.

"What's got you down?" the two girls couldn't help asking.

"Eh… well… uh…"

"Nami?" Claire asked softly, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Gustafa nodded. "She didn't accept my blue feather."

"WHY?" she and Jill spat at the same time.

"Well, you know Nami. Feisty and free-spirited. In fact that's what I love most about her. I don't know if it was the blue feather tradition, or if it was the convention of marriage itself. But I've never felt this way about anyone else, and I'm so sure she feels the same way about me, man! Grrrr."

"I gotta be honest with you, Gustafa," Jill began nervously, twisting her napkin in her hands. "I thought she might be angry with you because you're talking to _us_."

Gustafa's ears seemed to perk up, and he looked up at Jill in surprise.

"Initially, yeah, she was upset about _that_ little issue. But not in the way that you think, honest!"

Claire's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?" She could so easily picture Nami yelling her lungs out in angry disbelief. After all, they had trusted each other with their secrets and hung out together, practically partners in crime. It hurt to lose Nami as a friend, but Claire couldn't deny that the stabbing feeling was more intimidation than loss.

"Whatever is said in this house, stays _in this house_," Gustafa warned, a husky sound in his voice.

"You got it."

"Nami's… well… Nami feels responsible for what happened. She thought that the rumors were going around about you two because of _her_."

"_Why?_"

"Geez, I thought it was kind of obvious. Nami had a small crush on Claire, for just a little while."

Claire hung her mouth open in shock, and Jill burst into a relieved giggle.

"It's true!" Gustafa smiled at Claire. "She thinks you're really, really pretty, and so _real_, not like most girls. Of course she just wanted to be good friends though. And ever since the rumors came up, she's been feeling terrible about it, and just avoided you."

"Then how about I go visit her and talk things out?" Claire offered.

"No, no, no. Bad idea. Trust me -- Nami will come around when she comes around and is ready to talk. I'll wait for however long it takes…. I'm in love."

Gustafa smiled and folded his hands together, swaying with the music.

"_Why, it's almost like being in love…_"

--

The song was stuck in Claire's head as she took in the fishing line for the last time tonight, sitting adjacent to the bridge, her bottom numb from the biting cold snow on the ground. Jill had mining, and Claire had fishing, and it would be hard to decide which slimy fish was the catch of the day. She filled her gigantic plastic zipper bag with her biggest catches yet, and couldn't wait to fix them up for dinner.

Slinging it over her shoulder, she looked up and saw Griffin unlocking the door to the Blue Bar. His mature face lifted into a joyous smile as he waved at her.

"_Why, it's almost like being in love…_"

After just a little bit of hidden truth came out today, things were looking so much brighter in spite of the fierce, melancholy winter that was only just beginning. The good mood that Gustafa brought over that morning was contagious.

Humming softly, Claire found herself standing under that tree near the Goddess Pond ten minutes later, and she leaned against it in silent reverie. A letter from Mother, warm winter blankets, the most delicious hot cocoa she'd ever tasted, and healthy fish dinners that would last well into next week if they ate it continuously. Everyone in the valley had their problems, she realized, but life was short and simple, and one couldn't overlook all the little things that made for even the briefest moments of happiness.

'_Hmph. I should have taken a job writing slogans for the insides of chocolate wrappers._'

"_Why, it's almost like being in love…_" she sang one more time.

"_Mrrrrrrr?_" replied a grumbling voice that couldn't have belonged to something human.

Claire peeked out from behind the tree and followed the source of the noise. Nobody was standing nearby. Her footsteps crunching into the hard-packed snow, she made her way over to the path and listened intently, but no such sound followed. Winter brought nothing but hollow silence. There was no way she was just hearing things in her head.

She stared into the bleak whiteness with fierce concentration… then two tiny, beady black eyes blinked back at her.

"WHOA!" She jumped back. "Wh-what _are _you?"

"Muku?" The voice belonged to something staggeringly tall and covered with a white furry blanket from head to toe. Since nobody could be that tall realistically, it had to be another one of those strange "imaginary" creatures that kept popping up when she least expected them. This seven-foot-tall mass of fur slouched just a little, its furry face gentle but still alarming, with a cute pink nose and inquisitive features. The only spots not covered in fur were its massive gorilla-like paws, brown and padded, even with short manicured "fingernails".

Claire had her hands over her face in fear, but peeked through her fingers long enough to notice a short ponytail of fur standing erect on the top of its head.

"Mukumuku," it said in a deep, growling voice. It spoke so slowly, indicating limited human-like intelligence, nudging Claire's stomach without inflicting any pain.

"Uhh--uhh--hey." Claire finally spoke, a lump caught in her throat. "You're not gonna eat me?"

The big creature shook its head, lowering its face and sniffing at Claire's hair. "Muku."

"Well… nice to meet you. Did I… uh… am I bothering you?"

"Muku." It shook its head once again, blinking in matched confusion. "Mukumuku?"

"Is that your name? Mukumuku!"

"Mofafa! Faa! Mofafa Mukumuku. MUU-KUUUU," it tried to explain, its face lighting up in joy.

"I'm Claire," she said slowly, bringing her hand to her chest. "Claire."

"Muku."

"You… don't speak my language. Well, that's okay! Eheheheh…. It's okay. I'm hiding from people too. Are people afraid of you?"

Mukumuku nodded his head sadly. "Mofafa…."

"Yeah, I know how that feels. People don't think too highly of _me_ these days. Eheheh. Um…"

The thumping in Claire's chest gradually began to cease. Her head stopped spinning and her breathing also slowed. This was about as calm as she was going to get, and after bravely examining the "person" she was talking to, Claire realized -- Mukumuku was a snow yeti. He probably wanted to get out and have moments to enjoy himself, too. Now this was his season, and she so rudely yelped in fright like that.

"Hey… I'm sorry for yelling," she apologized, touching the yeti's fur and rubbing it softly. He felt just like a rabbit. And he was gentle. A big, seven-foot-tall snowy rabbit.

"Mo… fa…." Mukumuku's voice dragged on, almost as if he were trying to sing. "Moooo! Faaaa…"

"Oh! Did you like that song I was singing? '_Why, it's almost like being in love…_'"

Mukumuku slammed his palms together in applause.

"It's Frank Sinatra. Not like that means anything to you, though. Hey -- today someone came by and gave me something hot to drink. And I bet you're hungry. Here, have something that I caught today. Do you like fish?"

The yeti seized it in his palms. "Mofaa! Mofu! Mukumuku! Muku!" His smile was wide and his black eyes were sparkling.

"Okay. Well. I'm glad you like it. Have yourself a nice dinner. And now I have to go home to mine. Bye, Mukumuku!" Claire waved at him from over her shoulder, completely unafraid.

"_Why, it's almost like being in love…"_


	26. Speakeasy

Winter 6th

Several days of hell were finally coming to an end. A hell that was cruel and frosted, a hell that made the two farm girls more isolated than what they'd wished for. Several days of pitiful small-talk, a restless cat and dog, no electricity, Jill's pronounced snoring, the blanket being pulled away from Claire's half-dead frozen body at night. It was about damn time the storm ended.

Yesterday when they awoke to the calm, Claire burst through the door and waded through feet of snow that piled up high enough to hug her ribcage, jumped in it like in a sack race, and thanked the lucky stars that there was minimal damage. Several new structures such as lumber storage and the animal barns were saved; the damage would have cost more than enough gold than they could spare until mid-spring. The only real suffering they'd have to alleviate was that of the stressed animals, so profits would be down for awhile, but thank goodness it was no worse than that.

Claire simply couldn't handle another day of counting the ridges in the ceiling and playing "I Spy" with Jill. Those who had wrecked their farm and left nasty surprises in their Pumpkin Festival bag were probably wringing their hands and entertaining their evil fantasies of her and Jill sharing passionate winter nights undisturbed beneath the quilts. As if. By the end of the blizzard Claire was so ravenous, and so annoyed with her friend, that she recounted ghost stories of hikers lost in the snow-covered mountains for days, having to resort to eating their own comrades.

Now they were into their second day of shoveling snow, just carelessly tossing it over the fence or erecting large snowmen. They dreaded passing beneath the trees scattered along the perimeter of the farm -- one wrong move and a huge pile of snow would slip from the branches that could no longer bear its weight. Claire had been buried twice, and Jill managed to dodge these mini-avalanches every time.

"Hey," Claire said before the day was over, stopping her work and leaning against her shovel. "I bet we can make enough snow cones to last forever!"

"You're_dumb_," Jill snapped. "Get back to work, will ya?" And that was the last time Claire attempted any more silly jokes.

"I hate snow," Claire muttered under her breath. Back home, her family's backyard barely resembled a napkin, compared to all the space she had to clear out _now_. It was barely even big enough for Moon-chan to enjoy when he had his little spastic fits of playful energy. She and Mark made snow angels, as there definitely wasn't enough to make just one snowman. Then Mother would call them inside for hot chocolate that scalded her tongue, loaded with marshmallows gooey and soaked, and together the three of them devised how to come up with the perfect gingerbread house to win the annual contest.

Claire held her mitten up to her face, trying to see if there was any feeling left in her pink nose and cheeks. She puffed out and saw her vapory breath curve around her hand and then join in one misty cloud. Smiling, she could recall a couple things that only Mother could have during the winter -- egg nog, and by that she meant _real_ egg nog, spiked with holiday cheer.

The first stars she had seen since the start of winter twinkled back at her, reflecting the mischief in her eyes. The blonde farmer was seventeen years old, and she decided it was high time for her to have a steaming cup of hot _sake_.

--

A few feet of space in front of the Blue Bar looked shaven down, piles of snow on either side of the makeshift path. Claire felt overjoyed to know that she could always count on the Blue Bar to be in business whenever the time was right. Still, it was a Wednesday, and Claire couldn't resist stopping by to say hello in her dizzying high of being off the farm. The winter air was crisp and clear, filling her lungs with natural icy coolness that beat the hell out of any "wintery fresh" chewing gum. Maybe Griffin could use some more help shoveling snow. And sure enough, the lights were on inside.

Claire entered, surprised to find a few people randomly scattered about the tables, all sharing her grand idea. Frostbitten hands were curled around ceramic sake cups, sparkling like the Holy Grail in the teasing flames of emergency lanterns left on the tabletops. Griffin was slouched in a chair near the corner, his face pink. He moved like an itching squirrel, combing the snow out of his hair and mustache.

'_Looks like pounds of snow fell on him too_,' Claire thought humorously, imagining the older man jumping and using a shovel to swat at days' worth of snow that must have accumulated on his roof. She wished she had the talent to draw a comic-book style cartoon of the scene, or a flip book.

"Come on in," he panted when he saw her. "The Blue Bar is back in business."

"On a Wednesday," she marveled, pulling up a seat at his very table, for no particular reason.

"Some of us need our emergency fix after we got snowed in with no power," Griffin chuckled, winking and returning to the counter, fetching a decanter of _sake_ fixed high over a crude hot plate.

"Amen to that!" cried out a voice that belonged to a man, but sounded unusually high-pitched. Claire turned around and saw the accountant Grant, his eyes sleepy behind his large, dorky square glasses. His hair was neatly waxed back, his tie loose around the collar of his semi-formal business attire; a very nice jacket hung from the back of his chair. She could only imagine how the poor middle-aged man must have suffered, trapped for days inside his house with a bratty, demanding child, and no sensible wife around to tell him what to do.

"Don't mind him." Gustafa sat beside him and tilted his hat politely in Claire's direction. "What's up, chick?"

"Just glad to be out of that damn house," Claire replied. "Ow!" She shook her fingers out, pain throbbing in her fingertips as she slammed her _sake_ cup onto the table.

"Be careful, now," Griffin warned her.

"How are… things?" Claire asked Gustafa, folding her hands together in concern. Seeing Gustafa being his cheerful, eccentric self again surely must have been some indication that things were back to normal.

"Good, good."

"_Kanpai_." Claire raised the sake cup to her lips. Once the fire in her fingers had died down, she could hold the cup normally and feel a wonderful tingling sensation in her hands. This was the ultimate way to relieve numbing, biting cold. _Sake_, she discovered, had a unique flavor all its own, and its fragrance delighted her sense of smell. In a silky glide that warmed not only her throat but also her heart and stomach, she swallowed the gentle burn and smacked her lips together, trying to grasp the elusive sweet-sour taste. She could drink this like soup.

"AHHH!" she moaned, leaning her head back and tossing her hair around. "That was _joygasmic_!"

Grant immediately burst into hysterical juvenile giggling, Gustafa shaking his head at him and hiding his smile.

"Sorry to disappoint," Claire joked sarcastically, "but Jill and I didn't exactly have your tacky romance-novel scene, snowed in at some ski resort wearing lingerie and eating chocolates, with a copy of the Kama Sutra open."

If Claire had squinted and looked any closer, she may have seen stars dancing in Grant's drunken eyes. Apparently he found this scenario more alluring than ridiculous or laughable.

Gustafa shrugged. "Hey, well, at least nobody's saying that you're cooped up inside smoking pot all year round."

"_What?_" Claire gawked at him, totally flabbergasted. "How rude! Why?"

"My mom was at the height of her youth during that big Hippie Movement, you know? I was raised to believe in freedom, and then when I saw her old things up in the attic as a kid I was hooked on the culture! Only later on did I realize there was an extra connotation added to it, and before I could do anything about that, it stuck. I don't let it bother me, but sometimes I can't ignore that it's still there."

"I don't see why you're so surprised," came a voice from another far corner of the room. This man had thick brown hair that stuck up in a natural wave, tossed about in a messy bed-head look. Only when Claire saw the blue cap sitting face-down on the table did she realize that Jack was here too, with paper, envelopes, and pens strewn all about his table. Nothing better to do than respond to stacks and stacks of love letters from adoring fans when you're snowed in, Claire guessed.

"Hi, Jack!" she called out cheerfully. He sure did look funny without the hat.

Grant snorted, his cheeks puffing round like popcorn in a microwave. "That's the wrong thing to say on a plane!" The other guests ignored him.

"Yo. I was just sayin' that stuff eventually goes around about _everyone_. When I first came here, I made a lot of mistakes, and so I had to work hard to prove that I wasn't just some lazy bum here to prey on small-town chicks," Jack declared. "You just have to take it all in stride."

"I'm in my thirties and I'm unmarried. Haven't had a girlfriend in like a million years, and I'm a bartender. You can only imagine what kind of sleazy stuff people assume about that one," Griffin added, chuckling and helping himself to more rice wine.

"You know," Grant cleared his throat and spoke bravely, "I hate my job, but it pays well. I'm a businessman. I get home late, I'm stressed and tired, and the wife left me. Everyone thinks it's entirely my fault, and that I must be taking crazy pills because I go to therapy every week."

Claire was appalled. It felt so great to sit and have a good drink among the nicest guys in the valley. She never would have assumed those things. And that was because she, unlike other people, had taken the time to _speak_ to them.

"What the hell happened to this Happy Jolly Neighborhood where people helped each other out and baked pies for each other, or something?" she demanded angrily.

"Is _that_ what city girls think about us?" Griffin laughed.

"Hahahaha!" Grant burst. "Oh goodness. I'm having the time of my life over here."

"What are you drawing over there?" Griffin lifted the drunk man's hand, and a pen printed with his company's logo dropped onto the floor. The group huddled together and looked at cartoon drawings on Grant's napkin: a chibi-style Grant hanging himself with 'X' marks in place of his eyes, Jack surrounded by faceless women with melon-sized breasts, Claire and Jill holding hands, Griffin perusing a copy of Playboy magazine, and Gustafa flashing a Peace sign with a joint in his other hand.

"Don't forget the rainbow over my head," Gustafa reminded him as the group roared with laughter.

"Oh, I've got something even better than that." Within seconds, Grant clicked his pen, and began scribbling an outline of a tiny Gustafa jumping in the air in a star-shape, beneath a rainbow and over a pot of gold.

"Ha, ha," Gustafa said sarcastically, his face still tickled with joy. "Brilliant cartoonist, you are. Real funny."

"I always wanted to be one, but my mom hated the idea and wouldn't send me to college unless I picked the major she wanted," Grant told them, sketching a round head wearing glasses, then two lines sprouting out at the top that joined a skewed box, which with a little shading became a graduation cap.

"Hey… Grant," Claire spoke, nudging him gently. "Will you get in trouble if you run that through the copy machine at work tomorrow?"

"I don't think so." The accountant looked up and blinked at her. "Why?"

"Oh, I just thought it was amusing, and I was wondering if we could have like fifty copies…" she went on, bringing her hands together behind her back and fluttering her eyelashes at him, doing her best to be cute and innocent.

Griffin slapped his forehead. "Oh gosh," he laughed. "Now I'm running a speakeasy for social misfits. I wonder what our troublemaking blond kid is up to this time."

"O-okay," Grant agreed slowly. "If you really want these crappy cartoons, then you're my first real fan."

Just then, the group stiffened in silence as the doorknob behind the counter turned noisily. The door creaked open and Claire winced as soon as she saw a flash of high-heels coming out.

Muffy wore an angry pout as she tossed her spiraling yellow curls back. She smoothened her blouse and pulled at her skirt with conviction, then pulled up her jacket sleeves in a furious march toward the front door. Claire caught Grant looking at the pulsating vein in her forehead with amused interest.

"Uh-oh," Griffin said. "Now she's really on the war path."

"Sorry to bother you. I'm off to teach a particular cheating, no-good, womanizing creep a lesson!" Muffy shouted. "Oh, and good evening, Claire dear. It's been awhile." With that, the woman stomped out and slammed the door hard behind her, its impact deafening.

"Ow," Gustafa moaned, putting a fingertip in his sore ear.

"What was that all about?" Jack asked.

"Mmm. I really don't wanna say any more about this, but Muffy got a love letter from some jerk who's been sending them out to all the other girls in town. She got really excited about him for awhile, then she found out that Celia, Lumina and the others were all receiving the same thing," Griffin admitted.

Claire rolled her eyes and went back to having fun, pulling a _sake _decanter in front of her with the intention to having this one all to herself. Probably Skye, or Rock, she concluded. Business as usual.


	27. Friends With Grant

Winter 8th

9:46 a.m.

When the phone rang this morning, the cat and dog went into a frenzy. Jill's glance instantaneously shot up to the ceiling in search of a fire alarm or a smoke detector -- did they even have one? Every muscle in Claire's body twitched in such a violent jumping motion that her chair scraped against the floor, pushing her back a few inches and getting hot cocoa down the front of her new gray overalls.

Cursing, she picked up the barking Moon-chan and took the call. Somebody owed her for this one.

"Hello?" she answered gruffly, picking at her overalls and white shirt, shaking her clothes a little. Her upper chest burned and stung fiercely, and the smell of cocoa drove their little brown mutt into a hyperactive squirming craze in her arm.

"Claire, it's Grant. How are you?" A masculine voice greeted her, muffled a little by static. "Or is this Jill?"

"No, it's me," Claire told him, her face twisting in a puzzled expression. What business does a well-to-do, albeit exhausted and depressed, accountant have with a simple farmer getting old and angry before her time? If this was a babysitting gig, she figured she may just have to fake her own death.

"Oh, good. I'm sorry to be a bother, but I edited my drawings on paper and ran off the copies for you yesterday. I thought you might like to come by to the house and see, since Kate is out playing with her little friend right now."

"Okay! And thanks. You know, if things don't go well at the job, you might just become our village's commissioned artist." Smiling, Claire twisted the phone cord around her fingers and gently bit down on her tongue, thinking about what kind of request she might be able to make next.

"Heh. You flatter me." Grant's brief chuckle fell flat. Claire could imagine his elusive smile vanishing in an instant. In awkward silence, it was sad to think that his issues took a hold of every minute of the poor man's life. He couldn't be that much older than thirty, and he was equally as afraid of his psychotic kid as Claire was. Hopefully their mutual interest in his drawings would get him to open up. If no one else was willing to take that step and be his friend, then Claire most certainly would.

Confidence swelled beneath her chest, with a soft feeling of warmth that temporarily alleviated the burn of the scalding chocolate spill.

"I'll be right over," she announced proudly. "And maybe you can teach me to do better than just stick figures." They exchanged a few more words before Claire put the phone down, grinning smugly with her arms crossed.

"What was_that_ all about?" Jill inquired.

"Mmm… you'll see," Claire teased her in a know-it-all voice. "Soon all our little drama problems will be solved. And I'm actually going to see Grant -- would you believe that?"

--

Grant was already peering out the front door by the time Claire had reached his doorstep. Today his hair was slicked back as usual, his glasses perched impeccably on the bridge of his nose. Even when he wasn't working, he still managed to do himself up with a pressed business casual suit and tie. The only difference was that his pasty white feet were covered with a mass of cotton-candy-blue fuzz.

"A business suit and slippers. You lounge in style," Claire teased him, watching her breath rise in visible puffs. She realized she had forgotten to change out of her stained clothes.

"Come on in!" Grant welcomed her. When the man smiled, deep creases in his face lifted up and became more pronounced. Apparently he was very unaccustomed to smiling, and a sulking look became his natural state over the years. The man held the door open for her, and Claire carefully slipped out of her shoes and followed him to the dining table. She saw a set of expensive, shining black fountain pens with golden borders, a smooth leather-bound planner, and a scientific calculator larger than your average TV remote control, with more buttons than the contents of Claire's wardrobe.

"My toys," he explained proudly. "Take a seat. Want some espresso?" He crossed over to the counter, happily pushing buttons on a massive, shining stainless-steel state-of-the-art espresso machine that whirred and stirred. This seemed to be music to Grant's ears.

"No, thanks," Claire answered, leaning forward on her elbows and thumbing through a stack of paper, crisp and still warm from the printing machine. "But I really appreciate your doing this for me."

The cartoons of their elusive gang at the Blue Bar were very close to their original forms, except shaded and inked over in high-quality drawing tools. Grant definitely had it made, even if he was into more nerdy pursuits. The faces looked a little more expressive, and Claire and Jill's section now featured hearts and wedding bells over their heads. Claire gasped and held a hand to her chest, forgetting about the cocoa stain. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the cartoons bordering around a printed message in bold capital letters. This was it! This was _exactly_ what Claire had in mind!

'TIRED OF STEREOTYPES AND B.S. DRAMA? EDUCATE YOURSELF! LEARN TO PRACTICE SOME TOLERANCE! WE WANT A CIVILIZED COMMUNITY, OR WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND!'

"Oh, Grant," Claire spoke breathlessly, "how did you--"

Grant leaned back and sipped his espresso with, for the first time, a face full of peace and satisfaction that wasn't quite a smile, but a more relaxed straight face, eyes tranquil. "Hey, you've given me my own personal harmless way to Stick It To The Man. Of course, I won't be doing this at work, but here it's a different story. Notice I didn't put my signature on it."

Claire blushed. "I hope you don't think of me as using you for something like this."

"You kidding me? I'm not _that_ old yet. We think alike! I'll show you my private collection that I started when I was in high school. My mom read me the Riot Act when she saw me do this once, so I kept it all hidden." The older man rubbed his clean-shaven chin thoughtfully, then crouched in front of the bottom of his bookshelf, pulling out a black binder several inches thick, with several manila dividers in it.

"This is one of me pretending to blow up the chemistry lab," he explained, turning over the plastic protector sheets as he displayed his work. "And this one is of all the nerds in my class giving the mean jock a swirly in the toilet." Claire giggled at each one, having the time of her life. Curiously, she flipped through all the pages in the first section and rested her fingertip on the next divider--

"Oh! Oh! Uh… don't look at that section." Color rose to his face that reminded Claire of blossoming spring flowers. "Those are more… uh…."

"I understand," Claire chuckled, winking at him. Surely no manga nerd with this degree of talent could hold back from attempting doing "special interest" artwork. But maybe _those_ skills of his could be used later, for more serious warfare.

'_I am such an evil person_', Claire thought.

"These are safe." Grant flipped half of the contents over, revealing a section that started with a page featuring a sweet young woman with shining brunette hair. She had the angelic face of a child and the ideal body that even Muffy couldn't strive for. This, however, wasn't done in comic style. This was a real portrait, something that must have taken even months to finish. As she flipped the pages, Claire saw this woman, maybe around her age or so, modeling different sundresses in the warmer seasons, and fashionable peacoats and fur-lined parkas in the winter, all of which fitted her glorious feminine shape. Claire knew for a firm fact that, contrary to popular belief, she wasn't _like that_, but from these drawings Claire felt the same kind of unexplainable joyous feeling that Grant must have felt when he drew these.

"The wife?" she asked gently, tracing her finger around the lady's heart-shaped face. There were no dates on any of the portraits, but surely this woman was much older by now.

"Yeah," Grant admitted, sighing and tucking his hands into his pockets. "She's still very beautiful."

"I'm sorry that things… uh… you know."

"Mmm. Samantha was just starting out in her modeling career. She worked so hard getting through college, and made it for the first couple years as a model. Then she decided she was going to be an actress in a major production. At the time I thought she was biting off more than she could chew, and she got upset. But she was being cast in a brand new stage musical… and then Kate came around at the wrong time for her. Bills were piling high, and I was still in debt from my college loan, and that didn't make things better. Samantha decided she'd had enough, and that was that."

"I'm so, so sorry."

Grant shrugged, feigning that he was truly okay. As in most strange moments, all one could do was take a sip from the espresso cup if one was lucky to have it available. He did so and then smacked his lips and traced them with his tongue, appearing to fully enjoy its flavor.

"The only end that doesn't bring a new beginning is death," he pointed out. "So, after Kate comes back and has lunch, do you wanna go out and start posting these?"

Before Claire could answer, the front door swung open widely and slammed with a deafening crack. She winced and touched her hair subconsciously in discomfort, feeling that the arrival of the daughter would inevitably bring in a tornado as well.

"Please don't slam the door," Grant told the little girl quietly.

"Whatever. Hey, look." The little girl's juvenile voice was bratty; she was so obviously full of herself. Claire looked at her clothes with approval, appreciating the beautiful flower-print dress, hair ribbon, and shining Mary Jane shoes since Kate surely wouldn't. Her braids swung and her freckled face shone with excitement as she was studiously examining something in her tiny hands.

"Dad, I'm almost a grown-up now. I'm reading and understanding this grown-up letter really well! But… isn't 'sexy' one of those bad words?"

"What in heaven's name are you reading? And where did you get this?" Grant snatched the paper from her hand, his eyes swimming across the page in panic.

"I took it from Lumina's room at the mansion. She said she wanted nothing to do with it."

Grant properly fed it into a noisy paper shredder sitting on the carpet.

"Aw! You always ruin all the fun!"

Grant opened his wallet and handed his daughter a wad of bills before even counting them out.

"Go and buy yourself a good lunch at the Inn today. I'm busy with Auntie Claire doing grown-up stuff today. Never mind the letter; let's call it 'junk mail'."

"Like your letters that say 'loan' and 'credit' on them?"

"That's enough. Go out and have fun."

"I wonder what that was? An ad?" Claire asked curiously once the girl was gone.

"Um… well… it's another one of those mysterious love letters. Though it's not quite that mysterious anymore. The other day Flora went to town with the Mayor with permission to look at the village records, and they matched up the notes with Marlin's handwriting."

"W-what?" Claire felt her knees turn to water and a sharp prickling in her stomach.

"Yeah. We don't know what happened all of a sudden, but all the girls in the village are getting creepy love notes asking for dates or random hookups or whatever. It's very unlike Marlin from what I understand, but young boys will be young boys," Grant reported sadly. "Didn't you get one?"

Claire's legs felt wobbly, as though a tremor was passing beneath the house. The chill of winter had never felt so harsh. The Marlin that Claire wanted to get to know would let things roll off his shoulders instead of being bothered for this long. Did this rumor about her really crush his pride, or was she going to be another victim to his ego? The idea of losing her chances with such a handsome, genuine face was becoming more and more permanent. This, she realized, must be the point of no return.

"Yeah, I did," she lied painfully. "I had no idea he was up to it though. I mean, I didn't even read it, I just saw it for a second and thought it was a crappy dating service ad! Haha…. Well, I think I should be going. Thanks for sharing your drawings with me!"

"You come back any time you like," Grant offered warmly. "I never have anything scheduled on my days off. Let me know if you need some extra help during tax season!"

"I will," Claire said, her heart sunken deep into her stomach as she left the accountant's house. She wandered the village feeling a blend of aggressive rage and crushing sadness. One by one, she took the stack of flyers and pounded them hard against every door she could find.

--

Dusk was approaching as Claire made her lonely march back to the farm. These days the foraging only brought in just a handful of white herbs, and surely there would have to be some use for them. Even the natural scenery was lonely and pathetic in winter. The wind pierced and howled, and seemed to slice her skin like a sharp razor. Numb from the cold and from one too many disappointments, her eyes were unable to well up any more tears. Instead she drew her arms around her shoulders and wished for something totally different.

Maybe it wouldn't be Marlin after all, but sooner or later someone would have to answer her wishes. Someone handsome, tall, supportive and gentlemanly… not to mention just as hot, or even better… would have to eventually wait for her at the door to their house. Someday, something would have to give, and she'd have a _real _boyfriend. Or at least a really nice padded coat.

From the corner of her eye, Claire caught the outlines of two people standing at the path that led up to the Goddess Pond. One was very slender with a lot of waving curve at the top of the head, and the other was a little more plump, with wild, long spiraling hair. Claire was hit with crippling nausea as she realized it was Marlin, his face blank with stupor as he was listening to a peculiar female voice addressing him in an impatient tone.

Claire turned her nose up and tried not to care, then did a quick double-take. Where had she seen this woman before? She was quite pretty, and full of youth, but dressed in simple, drab black patchwork clothes that were probably hand-sewn from the cheapest dark fabric. Her hair was such a lovely deep gold that Claire only remembered seeing in spring, summer, and fall. Her eyes were the very color of red wine, and glistened with mischievous energy, scheming and a little flirtatious.

For one instant, a flash-vision came into her mind like lightning. Had she seen this woman before at the Goddess Pond with someone else? Rock? No, that was probably one of her weird dreams.

"I don't care," Claire said to herself aloud, bitter and hurt. She carried on in silence, fuming while light snowflakes fluttered down to the ground like ash. A few of them fell onto her eyelashes and cheeks like gentle kisses, but she only blinked them away.


	28. You Don't Know Jack

Winter 8th

11:56 p.m.

Claire had always envied Jill for being able to fall asleep within ten minutes. Every night when they went to bed, the blonde moved closer to the wall as the brunette slid in beside her. Jill would promptly turn onto her side, the elastic band in her hair moving lower and lower down her ponytail, and her shoulders would rise and fall almost gracefully. Claire, on the other hand, lay on her back and squinted into the dark on most nights, her eyes strained until she began to see colored spots. Then, eventually, she lay on her stomach and nuzzled the cotton pillowcase with her cheek, and felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into the overwhelming temptation of sleep. It was both frightening and fascinating to witness, when she felt slumber's soft arms gently hold her ankles and drag her, and she couldn't remember anything, or think in full sentences.

The sheets and mattress molded themselves to the contour of Claire's thin, petite white body. She wore a dreamy grin as she cherished the warm spots and vowed not to consciously move, but to just enjoy the warmth. This was part of the sleep process that Claire enjoyed the most. Too bad that was about to be ruined again.

The blinding light that came from the moon imposed itself through the curtained window. Claire hadn't seen the moon since winter began, but it wasn't as though she had been looking for it anyway. Tonight, for some reason, it was huge, shaped like a perfectly round sugar cookie with crevices and all. The novice farmer squinted at it, then opened her eyes fully to curiously stare at it. Even the Harvest Moon in the fall wasn't this big, bright, or beautiful. She sat up in bed and pulled the comforter around her lap, realizing that the more she stared at it, the closer to the window it appeared. Within moments it looked as though the moon had landed in their front yard. Now wouldn't that be awesome!

Once tangled, the nightgown she wore fell from her waist and skimmed her ankles when Claire carefully stood up on the mattress and tiptoed to the foot of it, then stepped down. In this half-asleep state, nothing truly scared her anymore. It wasn't as if anything could be weirder than dreams of a Harvest Goddess, little elf dudes, or a village witch possessing everybody.

For some reason, she just_ had _to go outside and see if the moon really fell into the yard.

The grass was tipped with frost, and the cold shot through her heels like needles as she stepped out, pulling the front door closed behind her. Through her favorite sea-green nightgown, her skin stood up in thousands of goosebumps. Her senses fully awakened again, she rubbed her heavy eyelids and watched as the shadows on her skin seemed to melt away, and became blanketed with white pearlescent shine. And she thought that moon-bathing was only "invented" for romance novels. It felt as though she began wading in a human-sized glass of milk.

This beautiful moonlight that she saw gradually softened, faded, and moved away like the headlights of a car passing by. But nobody owned a vehicle around here -- and if someone did, she would have taken full advantage of that to spare herself two seasons' worth of shin splints.

"Claa-aaire," called a girlish singsong voice. Claire shielded her eyes with the back of her hand before the light had dimmed completely, and who should be standing there other than that Harvest Goddess herself.

"Good evening. I'm sorry to have to do this so much," she said, her green hair buns and braids sparkling unnaturally, and in the cruel icy air, her skin remained the same, as that of a model in a lotion commercial. The Goddess's eyes showed no sign of being tired. Claire wanted that kind of energy.

"What do you want this time?" Claire whined, then yawned. "I've already got enough on my plate, thank you. Unless you're here to deliver cookies and milk, 'cause I could definitely use more of those."

The Goddess placed her fists on her curvaceous hips, impatient. "Pay attention, sleepyhead. I have something important to talk to you about."

"At midnight?"

"Argh! Just listen! Okay… first of all, I'm really proud of you for taking matters into your own hands. I've never seen the villagers act this way, and I've been around for hundreds of humans' lifetimes. I really like you, Claire. And like I said, the Harvest Sprites and I are all fighting for you. But the Witch Princess won't be giving up on her little game anytime soon. She's taken control over Marlin this time, and if she keeps going, the whole village will be under her little spell."

Claire crossed her arms impatiently and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but you're a Harvest _Goddess_. Shouldn't you have more power over her?"

The Goddess pouted and sighed. "It doesn't work that way. I wouldn't go so far as to call the Witch Princess _evil_, exactly, but there always has to be a balance. The Harvest King made it that way. We have to put up with her existence the way she does ours. But there's no set of definite rules that she can technically breach, and that's a problem."

"That's good and all, but what can _I_ do about this? I don't even like farming. I don't like carrying the big heavy watering can, or fishing for our next meal. I didn't even ask for all this supernatural crap that only _I_ can see, and sometimes I think I must be going crazy. And I'm _tired_!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to help. _You're_ the victim of this crazy scheme of hers. I was thinking we could figure this out together, like a puzzle. I can use magic, and you can use your cute charm! You already have plenty of friends in spite of everything. I know that. I watch you."

This brought a rush of heat and a pink color to Claire's face. Hopefully the Goddess wasn't watching _all_ the time. After all, she was certainly no saint -- if the Goddess had truly been watching every time she ate one of Jill's snacks and blamed it on Moon-chan, or imitated some of the villagers' quirky mannerisms every time she hung out with Jack… then there was no reason the Goddess would want to help her.

"You can't just ask the Harvest King to put her in her place?" she whined.

"The Harvest King is gone. Goodness knows he's tired of stepping in to our conflicts and fixing them all. But we believe in you, Claire. Really, we do."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're pure of heart and you deserve happiness, that's all!" The Goddess winked flirtatiously and giggled at the young girl.

Surely the Goddess was up to something. Maybe both she and the Witch Princess alike were just squabbling children in the magical world. When Claire really thought about it, she knew that the Goddess didn't do _all_ she was expected to do. What about that blizzard that everyone prayed so hard to prevent, or that one last harvest of yams that she and Jill wanted to squeeze in on time?

"You want something from me, I bet," Claire sighed. "What is it?"

"The one quick fix to your problem," the Goddess said matter-of-factly, holding up her index finger, "is for you to form a very particular strong bond with a very particular someone."

Claire's eyes twinkled with excitement. She shook her fists close to her chest and bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, hearing the frosted ground crunch beneath them.

"You mean I get to win Marlin back with the power of true love?!" she shouted.

"Well… that's so nice… but not exactly what I had in mind," the Goddess admitted. "Or, rather, _whom_ I had in mind. What do you think of Jack?"

Claire shrugged. "Well, he's cool. We hang out a lot, and he lets me borrow stuff, so I make him hot cocoa. I guess you could say we're pretty tight friends."

"What about marrying him?"

Her breath became caught in her throat and she choked, feeling her heart harden into stone, beating painfully inside her chest. What did she just say? Marry Jack? Seriously?

She had to be kidding. That's the way the Goddess was, right? Complicated and whimsical like those dumb preppy girls she knew in high school. But the Goddess would flirt and play games with anyone that stood on two legs, it seemed.

"Breathe, Claire, breathe. You're turning pale, sweetheart!"

The blonde squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on an image of her friend. Tall, of course, but that wasn't all. He had honest eyes, like a cow, or a small child. Jack took great care of his thick brown hair, always shining and soft. His complexion was clear and smooth no matter how much he would sweat throughout the day. And he was sweet, funny, considerate, charming… you name it and he had it. But were circumstances any different, the answer was still a "Maybe" at most. Without any knowledge at all, Jack was currently had a weird status with her, somewhere in between "big brother" and "security blanket". There was just no _fluttering_ feeling she felt around Jack, no matter how good he smelled, or how warm it felt when he held her if she was having a bad day.

Besides, how the hell could she possibly even think of _dating_ Jill's ex, let alone marry him? Jill would have a _cow_, and not in the way she would just happily buy one from the Yodel Farm. Marrying Jack would be… well, nice, she guessed, but still… that would be beyond a calamity.

"I… I can't do that," Claire stammered.

"Take your time and really consider this, honey. I can't dote on the boy forever all by myself. Eventually he's going to have to get married, and carry on his legendary accomplishments. I'd rather see him with you than any of these shallow or ditzy valley bachelorettes. You remind me of _me_," the Goddess declared, beaming.

'_Is that supposed to be flattering?_' Claire thought with her nose crinkled.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how that would just fix everything up. Let's just slow things down for a second. The only way not to take any crap from anybody is to just have tough skin, right? But then there's the Witch Princess, and instead you decide you want to play matchmaker at the worst possible time, and -- wait! _Does the Witch Princess like Jack?!_" she burst.

The Goddess winked. "Everybody does. Except you, for some reason, and I can't imagine why."

"So… you want me to permanently steal the Witch Princess's would-be boyfriend."

"That's not my original intention, but you're definitely onto something with that, though. The truth is… well, you don't know that much about Jack, do you?"

"Um…" Claire pondered. "Well, he's not from here originally, and his family's full of farmers, and he's really talented with this type of stuff. And so it beats the hell out of me -- why aren't he and Jill together anymore, they're the perfect match…. Oh! I know! He likes cooking and I think his birthday is in Winter, too."

The Goddess chuckled, then clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"Naïve little lamb," she said condescendingly. "Jack has been under my protection for over a hundred years!"

"… _What?_"

"I'm serious. He owned the farm in Flower Bud Village. Then he went to Mineral Town. Doesn't that sound like way too much work for a boy his age? I let him live many lifetimes, and I always watched him. And I always loved him, but he does too well in the human world, bringing happiness and life to rural communities all over the province. And so… I let him marry whomever he chose in the village. He's like a savior, a _perfect man_! Maybe one day I will make him completely immortal so that he can marry me, and we can have a celestial wedding, but for now I'd rather see him fulfill his dreams over and over again."

Without thinking, Claire sunk onto her knees, then folded her legs in sitting position on the icy ground, pulling at the roots of her hair. What kind of world had she stumbled into? Was Jill one of these magical creatures too? In real life, this couldn't be how the whole Fate thing worked. Fate was unseen, literally unseen, and there were no fairy godmothers. Fate was supposed to lead Claire to marriage when she was ready for it, maybe in her thirties or so, and with the right man… and children, and a career she actually _wanted_, with _no magical creatures_ in it.

"I know it's a lot for you to take in all at once," the Goddess told her sympathetically. "And I know you want to fall in love, and maybe it's not fair of me to ask you this, but… I think you're just like Jack, in many ways. You don't see it for yourself, but I do. Your shine. Your sense of humor even in the worst of times, and your determination. I know how much you envy your friend Jill, and she's a remarkable young lady, but she just doesn't have some special thing that _you_ have. I bet the Witch Princess is only picking on you because she is actually jealous of you."

'_Um… yeah right, lady._'

"I'm not marrying Jack," Claire told her firmly. "I'm sorry, but I just can't. He's just not the one for me, and even if he is, then we'll see it for ourselves when the right time comes. But I'm not about to make a compromise like that just to get some silly, childish witch to knock it off. I gotta be me no matter what."

The Goddess smiled proudly, and it illuminated her face all the more. Everything from her hair to her face to the hem of her dress sparkled as though covered in glittered sequins.

"I admire your resolve. And the option is always open. But for now, I shall bestow upon you a few talismans -- a heart-patterned bangle bracelet, and a heart-shaped brooch. It's filled with good magic. All you have to do is go to the tree by my pond and leave a small fee at the base of it. Only three million, fifty thousand gold!"

That tore it. Any lesser girl would have had a heart attack.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Unless you're good at poker games," the Goddess said coyly, looking down to examine the shimmering of her fingernails in the moonlight. "But since I like you so much, I'll just let you borrow those things. Look in your accessory box tomorrow morning, but don't let anyone see you taking them out and putting them on. Once you wear them, they'll be fine. Now go out there and win new friends with your charm! Toodles!"

Goosebumps crawled all over the girl's skin with ten times the usual intensity. Unable to withstand them any longer, she trembled and shook in an eerie shiver. The Goddess stepped out into the moonlight until her silhouette faded into it, and the light grew brighter and brighter. Moments later, Claire lowered her arm that had been shielding her eyes, and blinked into the black, cold silence.

'_I'll forget all about this in the morning,' _she tried to reassure herself, yawning and letting her heavy eyelids droop to a half-open position. She re-entered the house, and after bringing the covers far over her head, that wasn't enough. Claire buried her head underneath the pillow and held it around her head like thick earmuffs, hoping that the moon would never land in the front yard again.


	29. The Hot Spring

Winter 9th

One of the things Claire loved most about living in the countryside was the greater likelihood of finding a traditional-styled_ onsen_. Standing outside the hot spring for the first time, the day it re-opened following the storm this Winter, the short blonde marveled at the stylish calligraphy symbols -- female in red, male in blue, and pushed open the door on the left.

Her upper chest tightened inside, slowing her heartbeat while she beheld the simple picture: snowflakes spiraling down from the bleak gray sky, close to none of them touching the surface of the clear, steamy water. The bath was the size of a pond, bordered with large rocks, the floor tiled sea-green with a pattern of orange and black spotted _koi_ fish. A tall, secure bamboo barrier stood strong in the center, and to the left, a bamboo bench and hangers on the walls. A strip of the floor surrounding it was like a trough, or a moat, deep and tiled and lined with buckets and water spickets, for washing.

Merrily, Claire savored her quiet privacy, slipping off her shoes and socks, then unclipping her overalls. Neatly she folded her clothes and set them on the bench. Being naked outside wasn't as exciting when your shower was attached to the outside of the house, but here it was blissful. Light snow dusted her hair and shoulders, and she twirled around to enjoy the rushing feeling of the chilly air.

It took only a few moments to scrub her body thoroughly and meticulously with bran soap and rinse, and now she was squatting in front of the bath, moving the water around with her hand. At first it was stinging, then it was tingling, and eventually it became numbing and soothing. And so clear!

"A--ahhhhhh," she sighed heavily, lowering a shapely foot and then dainty ankle into the bath. Soon she was up to her hips in the heat, and the dramatic differences between the cold around her ears and the burning in her ankles became more pronounced. Sinking in carefully, she sucked her breath in through her teeth in a hissing noise, and finally draped her hair over the rim of the tiny pool. Her eyelids felt weak, but she fought to keep them open, to enjoy the sight of the falling snow that couldn't reach the ground, stuck at a glass ceiling, and the blurry rippling across her body under the water.

"This feels _so good_," Claire said to herself, touching her shoulders and wringing out the knots that had been there for way too long.

"I know," replied a soft male voice from behind the bamboo wall.

Claire was way too relaxed and blissful to care.

"The only thing better than this…. No, there _isn't _anything better than this," she added.

"I don't mean to be corny, but do you come here often?" The voice sounded somewhat-familiar, but try though she might, Claire just couldn't place a name or a face. In any case, this was a holy place of relaxation and peace.

"This is my first time here. I love it." Claire lifted her feet up from the water, then squeezed and released her toes. The loose, released feeling in her feet was so wonderful it almost evoked tears.

"I have to come here frequently for my illness, although I have to get out after a few minutes because my body can't take too much heat," confessed the man on the other side. "But coming here in Winter really helps me breathe better."

Claire's eyes snapped open, and instinctively she drew her legs in and crossed her arms at her chest.

"This is Marlin, isn't it?" she asked darkly. Never before, until she moved to this valley, did she ever have to associate a really attractive guy with trouble.

"Yeah. Why? Who's this?"

"You forgot me already. Thanks," she replied with sarcasm. "This is Claire. Does that ring a bell?"

"… Oh. Hey."

"_Hey_."

"So what's up?"

"Is that all you have to say to me is 'what's up'? You blew me off and didn't talk to me in _ages_. But it's all right though -- if you don't want to see me, that's fine. The problem now is your womanizing habits, which I'm _sooo_ glad have nothing to do with me," Claire said grumpily.

She heard a splash.

"What the hell! It's not like anybody can tell me what to do! What am I supposed to do? Rock told me that you're… uh… anyway, he told me the truth, and I got shocked! And then --"

"And you never even came to me first to talk about it. So you think who-the-hell-knows-what about me using you or something, but then you turn around and do the same damn thing with your stupid love letters -- or should I say, harassment letters. What a childish way to handle things!"

"I never meant to cause anyone harm," Marlin explained, his voice deep and grumbling. "I don't even know why I wrote those stupid letters in the first place. It's like it wasn't _me_ doing it."

Claire sighed. She recounted her first day here, going all the way back to the walk from Flower Bud Village, bags in hand and the pants of her overalls cuffed around her ankles. She had never been outdoorsy, and she knew that there was a difficult adjustment in her future, but with a breath of fresh, clean natural air, Claire had actually _believed _she was leaving all the drama behind in the city.

"… Do you want to talk about it?"

What was meant to be a sigh came out as a horse-like sputter from Marlin's lips. From the sound of his constrained breathing, Claire could tell that he was frustrated about something, but he didn't know how to express it. This was a flaw in him that Claire initially adored.

"My ex in Mineral Town got married after… after we stopped seeing each other."

"I'm so sorry," Claire told him honestly, deeply harboring sympathy in her heart.

"So I went crazy, especially since whatever could have happened between you and me was over so quickly. Then this girl came around and she was so pushy and bitchy, and got mad because I didn't have any real interest in her. She's so vindictive. It's like she's been filling my head with ideas about those lame-ass letters, and being mad at you for lying… which… you never actually did."

Claire nodded in satisfaction. Now he was starting to see it.

"Is that your special way of apologizing?"

"I guess it is. I'm… not good at this, but… I really am sorry."

"It's cool," she decided, then added with a laugh, "But you totally pissed off Muffy a while back."

"You mean _Muffy_ got one of those? Oh God…."

"So you didn't send those letters on purpose?"

"No! No…. This crazy girl, she told me to write out a letter like that to release my feelings. She just kept pushing and pushing until I wrote down my emotions and my thoughts, and then I think she must have turned them into those stupid letters and gave them out to everyone. She's crazy! Psycho-bitch."

"… Is this girl… does she have wavy blond hair and ugly dark clothes?"

"That's her!"

'_Oh, maaaaaaan._' These dreams were becoming more and more realistic by the day. There was really a Harvest Goddess, and in this case, the conniving Witch Princess really did exist.

The good news was, none of the goings-on were anybody's fault. But that was it.

Claire was just so damn tired, and not just from the hot bath. "Marlin… do you still want to be friends?"

"Well, yeah."

"Good."

The water on the other side of the wall splashed around and was pushed over to her side in a strong current. In the tiny slit in the bamboo poles, she could barely make out traces of Marlin's feet on the floor, walking away toward the bench on the male side.

"I'm just going to stay out of the dating circle for awhile," he said.

"I think I should too."

"Okay then… see ya."

"Bye."

The amazing thing about it was, for some reason there was absolutely no temptation to look any further, for the entire time they sat just inches away from each other, separated by just one wall. Inside, the most troublesome and mischievous part of Claire just didn't bother. She was beginning to see him as a real guy, not a fantasy in a magazine ad for cologne or designer jeans.

'_I'm over him,'_ she realized, mouthing the words silently. In revelation, she leaned back and shut her eyes, surrendering to the deepest calm she'd ever felt in her life. The door on the male side creaked and shut again.

Only moments later, Claire had been half-dreaming about butterflies and vegetables in Spring, and just began to wonder why she was looking forward to staying for at least another season, when the door on the female side creaked open again, and a figure in a hooded wool traveling cloak began slipping off her shoes.

"Lumina?"

The hooded girl held a finger up to the dark hole in place of her face, hissing, "Shhhh! Nobody's supposed to know I'm here. My grandmother would be furious! Our spa at home is incredibly expensive, but I'd rather come here instead. Promise you won't tell?"

"Secret's safe with me," Claire assured her with a shrug. At the sight of Lumina, Claire felt a strange tugging in her heart. It was something about how funny and charming she looked in the traveling cloak. Lumina lived in a fairy-tale world of proper princess behavior, but seemed to be full of intriguing knowledge and a few mischievous tricks up her own sleeve. Which was why it was so painful for her to be snubbed by such a fascinating friend. Claire simply shut her eyes again and reclined, trying to ignore the younger girl's presence, but it lingered there like an annoying itch.

"This is fantastic," Lumina commented as she slid in on the adjacent side of the bath, not needing to tie her hair for its neat bobbed cut that didn't reach her shoulders. "Don't you think so, Claire?"

"Mm, yeah, it's great," Claire said uncomfortably. Why should she be this rosy and pink, and so cheerful, when she was seated _naked_, close to someone she deemed unfit to associate with? The farming apprentice concentrated on keeping only her right eye half-open, so as not to seem rude when Lumina spoke to her. No matter how many different ways Claire assessed the situation, it was awkward.

It only got worse from there.

"So I've been dumped too," Lumina broke out in confession, her shoulders shaking and her chest rising as tough she couldn't hold it in anymore. "It's Skye. Rock warned me time and time again not to go near him, and I ignored him. I was out with Skye last week and we almost… well, you can imagine… and when I thought he was going to kiss my neck, he reached up and took my keepsake necklace, and ran with it. My mother gave that to me, and I trusted him, and I can't believe he did something like that! Now I understand Rock's over-protectiveness…. Oh, gosh, you must think I'm an absolute fool! What an idiot I've been!" The girl buried her face in her open palms.

"… I'm sorry," Claire offered nervously.

"Oh, Claire." Lumina took her hands down and moved a little closer. "I've been wanting to apologize to you for so long. I was so rude to you. I really wanted to be friends, but my grandmother wouldn't let me. And I suspect that Rock's been rude because he's trying to suck up to Grandmother Romana. You know how she is; so old-fashioned!"

"Don't worry about it," Claire reassured her. "I've been fine."

"That was so awful of me. I've tried and tried to get my grandmother to realize… that's someone's personal choice, you know? Nobody ever has any right to decide for someone else." Lumina's eyes, olive and amber depending on the angle and the light, shone with sincerity. "I hold absolutely no ill will against you whether you love men or women, I swear. And I've missed talking to you. I have no one to share my innermost thoughts with, and I wanted you to be that person, Claire. Really, I did."

"Then… let's dump the sorrow and move on, shall we?" Claire said sweetly. Poor girl. It was as if Lumina walked straight out of an actual storybook, a wealthy princess that could have everything she wanted, but still oppressed.

"Yes, let's. There's been so much on my mind that I wanted to share with someone, as I'm so close to reaching womanhood. And it's so exciting! For instance… look at you, Claire. I've always wanted to look like you. Shining long hair, a few inches of extra adult height, full breasts, a mature feminine figure…."

Claire cleared her throat and stared at the wall in embarrassment, almost able to _feel_ the girl's eyes sweeping over her body. As far as she was concerned, there was really nothing special or particularly attractive about her. For her entire life, Claire had only hoped that there was merit in the idea that what counted was on the inside. And there weren't many things in the world that were more important to her than staying true to herself. Tacky jokes from Jack and Rock aside, Lumina was the first person that had actually insinuated that she was attractive. Oh crap.

"Well! Thank you. You're quite pretty yourself." Claire kept her gaze on the wall, intent on not looking at Lumina's body even though the younger girl was staring intensely at hers.

"Thanks." Water rushed around the two girls' waists as Lumina stood, and took one pace further. The younger girl's head eclipsed Claire's perfect view of the sky past the rims of the towering walls, and her eyes blinked down at Claire's face. Descending to a kneel, Lumina's facial features softened, quite baby-like, and nervously she put her palm over Claire's eyes.

'_What kind of game is she playing?'_

Lumina's lips were soft, moist, and freshly coated with waxy lip balm, with a faint mint scent and flavor to it. When she pulled away, Claire's heart hammered so fast inside her chest that she thought of making a mad dash for Dr. Hardy's office. Lumina looked at her with guilt written all over her face.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I wanted to know what it felt like."

"Well. Uh… I never would have imagined that you were curious! Heheheh…."

Lumina sat down in her usual prim, polished manner, preening her hair and then looking at her fingernails. "Did I make you angry?"

"No, no. It was just _confusing_."

"I hoped you might like it."

"Okay….Since the topic is inevitable, I should let you know that I'm really not, you know, _like that._ I'm not actually into girls."

Lumina looked stunned and hurt. "Oh, now I feel terrible. I'm so, so sorry. I don't suppose you can forgive me for something like this. The thing is, I'm not either, but I was just trying so hard to understand."

"Don't worry about it. Let's just not do that again, though," Claire warned.

"But…" Lumina sighed. "I know that was selfish of me. But I just keep thinking, what if I never find love? What if I never have a good, _real_ first kiss with someone I can trust?"

"That's something we're both waiting for," Claire pointed out as she stepped out of the bath, making her way to the bench to retrieve her towel. "Until then, though… do you still want to be friends?"

'_Oh brother. Now I'm going to keep sounding like a broken record.'_

"I'd love to."

"We'll just keep this a secret. No, we'll forget all about it. And nobody will know a thing. It never happened," Claire insisted.

"Of course."


	30. Plans

Winter 9th

Steam danced off Claire's body in generous amounts when she exited the hot spring, her overalls and undershirt damp but warm. Hard-packed snow and dirt crunched beneath her feet, and she watched her shoes shuffle in it. So much for a day of rejuvenation, though. First Marlin, and then the next thing she knew, she was kissed by Lumina. All within less than an hour and a half.

Then she remembered the gaudy silver bracelet at her wrist, patterned with hearts. This charm from the Goddess really did work, apparently.

It reminded her of the time she went to the Winter Dance in high school back in Flower Bud. Though she hadn't been as tomboyish as Jill, she still dressed quite plainly when she was younger. Her dresses were solid in color, faded, with a vintage look. With such a thrifty mom that looked exactly like Claire as a teen, her clothes were either sewn for her, or hand-me-downs. So that night, when she walked to the school gymnasium all by herself -- being stood up again, this was one of the first things that led to her avoidance of men and dating in general -- everyone from just about all the households in the neighborhood stepped out on the sidewalk to get a glimpse at her.

Was it the sparkling midnight-blue dress, or the fact that she had been publicly stood up by her date? This was the kind of feeling she'd had when she left the farm this morning. The villagers' eyes followed her, there faces reflecting strange expressions that she just couldn't interpret. The Love Bangle, or the reputation?

Although she had sworn to herself earlier in the day that work was over until tomorrow, Claire's trained eye went straight to a large boulder sitting in the field close by. Her arm twitched, wanting to reach for her hammer; that boulder could provide _so_ much material stone!

Approaching it and laying her palm against its smoothness, she recalled that nature didn't create such straight lines. The boulder had been shaped into a massive rounded rectangle, maybe a ceremonial altar at one point, or a makeshift table. There was no way of telling. Kneeling, the pant leg of her overalls became soaked with snow at the knee. Something was still very uneven about this, and the way it had settled into the ground over the years made it immovable.

Claire ran her fingers down the front surface until the tips hit a tiny, rough dip. There was an inscription.

JACK: BEST FRIEND, LOVING HUSBAND, LEGENDARY FARMER FOR 77 YEARS.  
MAY HE ENJOY THE ULTIMATE HAPPINESS AND MANY REWARDS IN THE AFTERLIFE.

"Oh, Jack." A sob burst from her chest as she touched the inscription. Without even thinking, it was past the point of absolute certainty that she wasn't living in a dream. The Harvest Goddess had told her the truth. Jack had lived many lifetimes ago, and apparently he was here too.

Jack was dead. And she was standing on his grave.

Tears stung her eyes and burned worse in the cold of Winter. Her emotions stirred along with the mixed temperatures of the falling snow and the steam of the hot outdoor bath.

Whom exactly was she mourning for? Even as she realized that the Jack _she_ knew was one of her best friends, and was just teasing her the other day, more alive than anything, it was depressing to think that she had never known him in his very first life. She would be a "repeat" just like all the other girls he had ever met, and one day she would die, but unlike Jack, she wouldn't come back. And which death was this particular stone supposed to mark? His first? His most recent one?

"I must be a bad person for thinking this," Claire said to the gravestone, chucking but wiping away streams of tears, "but you deserve to _really_ rest in peace one day."

All the same, Jack must _never_ know about what she had seen. The knowledge, if he even chose to believe it, could mess him up for life. And Jill? Oh, _hell_ no. Jill was so connected to her farm animals that there were times Claire thought she _became_ one. She must never know about it either.

It became clearer and clearer that the Witch Princess preyed only on the vulnerable. The Harvest Goddess used Jack as a tool, a charm, a weapon… and also a sort of savior, she had mentioned. And now it seemed that Claire had her own role. The Witch Princess and the Harvest Goddess were now battling over her -- the Witch Princess wanting to ruin her life, the Harvest Goddess wanting to grant her something. Either way, humans were puppets, and these royal, magical women were no better than the humans themselves.

For the remainder of the day, Claire strolled the streets, on auto-pilot, a robot. She passed by all the houses and shops, as if realizing for the first time that Forget-Me-Not Valley was like an expanded dollhouse, and every person living in it was being manipulated.

"I can't think that way," she chanted to herself, her fists clenched at her sides. "Because then I'll go crazy, and who wants that?"

"I know I don't," answered a voice, feminine, near her own age, but… it wasn't really hers, was it?

"Now I'm talking to myself, and _answering_ myself!" Claire said angrily, stomping. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was cold, thick and callused, meaty… but small.

"Not yet, you're not. Turn around, silly."

It was the last person she expected to find out in town. Someone only two or so inches taller than she, with stylish brown hair that she kept in a ridiculous ponytail when it was meant to be shown off. Someone who had a clear complexion, and brooding eyes for someone so young. Someone she had been close to for years already. The someone she had practically ignored for a long while now, and missed coming to for comfort. Someone who wore a fanny pack that Claire hated with a passion.

"Jill!"

"Hey, you." The brunette smiled and rubbed her friend's shoulder. "You always run off after work is done. You don't like me anymore?"

"That's not it." Claire beamed. But she couldn't deny that it was difficult to picture Jill anywhere _without_ a heavy tool in her hands and a laborious task on her mind. "I just… really needed a bath."

"No need to tell me," Jill teased, pinching her nose shut with her fingers. "Just kidding. Hey, listen. I know we can't really have a day off, but what do you say you and I hang out sometime, like we did in college? Just goof off and do nothing for a day, how's that?"

"Yeah!"

"And I was thinking Jack might want to tag along, too…."

Claire narrowed her eyes slyly, and poked her friend's shoulders and stomach. "I see that a certain two people have started to get along just fine again, huh?"

Jill's body stiffened, and the older girl turned her face away, her nose tilting upward. "Well, you know, we _do_ have to settle this problem with the farm. We're farm hands living on his property and in his house, after all. The three of us plus Takakura-san will need answers for the forms we get next tax season. And there's a horse race coming up in Mineral Town in the spring, anyway. Jack and I are planning to train Sephiroth for it, and we have to go there and register by the end of Winter. Our relationship is strictly professional," Jill declared firmly.

"Sephiroth?!" Claire spat. "Are you freaking _kidding me_?"

"Take it easy there, squeaky. And, yeah -- sounds badass, don't you think? Jack and I came up with it ourselves."

"You don't just _come up with _that name. We're not the only people in the world who like video games, Jill. They are so going to laugh at you and call you gay for that."

Jill shrugged. "They're just jealous. So are you in or not? We'll register, and then we can have the whole day to do whatever we want in Mineral Town. I thought we might stay the night at their Inn, and we can come back in time to keep the animals on their normal feeding schedule."

Claire thought of the Mineral Town brochure that she saw at the Inner Inn. Mineral Town had a winery, a library, and was also known for its unique, famous Chicken Sumo Festival. Looking back, it seemed horrible that she had never been there before.

"Okay," she agreed. "But we _have_ to go to the bakery and see if they have gingerbread houses."

Jill looked confounded. "Huh? Why?"

"It's just a thing we do back home. My mom, my brother, and me."

"Well, whatever floats your boat. I'm thinking either tomorrow since it'll be nicer out, but if not we'll have to wait for the weekend."

"I'll go pack for the trip now!" Claire shouted with enthusiasm. "Meet you back home!"

Thank the Goddess that things were finally beginning to look up. In spite of the weird, uncomfortable stares, Claire knew that this magical bracelet was doing _something _to make the atmosphere more friendly. And then, just out of the blue, Jill the workaholic wanted a vacation. Well, sort of. Going to Mineral Town to do no more than register for next Spring's horse race satisfied Jill's burning inner need to get something accomplished, and then the rest was just Claire's perfect escape from all these magical, supernatural beings. No gaudy green fairy, no shabby witch, no midgets with pointy hats, no big white furball that couldn't speak.

Back at the farmhouse, Claire remembered that these bags of hers hadn't been filled since the day of her arrival in the valley. Filling it up again felt so good, even if she didn't have anything other than overalls. First shopping, she planned. And then, maybe if they were lucky, Mineral Town might have a Winter Carnival. Life was finally starting to pick up.


	31. Fire

**Author's Note: Thank you, the readers, very much for your patience, loyalty, and reviews. Four months ago the military sent me to a new training school on the opposite side of the country, and things have gotten so busy that *just now* I finally have Internet access. I do fully intend to someday finish all of my stories, but "You and I" is currently on the top of my priority list. I promise! ^_^ - 08April2009**

**

* * *

**

Winter 10th

12:14 a.m.

The Farmhouse

Claire had had her fair share of sleep deprivation since her arrival in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Whether she had been doing rounds on the property as a last-minute check on the animals and crops, or even if she had been out enjoying herself, she still didn't like losing even one minute of her sleep. Although she and Jill had been here for two seasons, from time to time Claire fantasized about having real holidays and weekends, and getting to sleep in. Now the only way to do this was to get sick.

Tonight, though, she had stayed up late anyway. With only nine different sets of colored overalls, her suitcase was still fairly spacious. Add in a plastic bag for her toothbrush, soap, and other personal items, and she'd still even have room to fit the dog if she wanted to.

Jill sat at the counter indulging herself with her nightly glass of milk, a recent obsession of hers, while Claire knelt on the floor, her feet tucked under her, and folded and re-folded her things before arranging them. Claire felt renewed with the energy she'd had as a small child. When she was scheduled to leave on a visit to get spoiled by relatives, or when there was a picnic or field trip during her elementary school days, she would stay up late, just like this, exuberant.

She wondered how often they'd get away with asking old Takakura to take care of things while the two of them were gone. Next time she'd go and see her mom, who would either sew or buy her a new dress, fill her up with baked goods, and gasp at her daughter, thin with muscle tone, wearing overalls. Then Claire would have something she could call her very own, something personal, something that spoke to who she really was as a person… a dress, or some photographs, or a souvenir that would have nothing to do with farming.

'It's time for me to be Claire again,' she thought happily, when Jill was finally able to convince her to go to bed. When the lights went out, Claire lay on her back with her hands folded across her stomach, wide awake and fantasizing about being in a real town. Hell, over there she'd be recognized simply as a girl, no stupid rumors attached. Eventually Claire welcomed a dream of sitting in the bleachers at a horse race, boasting proudly of helping tame and train the winning horse. With lots of admiring male attention.

"Ow!" the blonde moaned weakly, her eyelids heavy and unwilling to open, even to form a small crack to let some light in. Her arms buried in a comfortable position beneath her pillow, she winced in pain and slowly registered that she had been kicked in her lower leg. "What happened?"

"Did you NOT hear that?" her brunette comrade exclaimed, springing out of bed. Wild wisps of stray hair stuck out and her facial expression showed she was totally bewildered. Jill lunged for the front door, but not without yelling over her shoulder.

"Something just happened to the barn!" she shouted.

"… Oh, crap. Are you serious?" In no real hurry, Claire slid off the bedcovers and dangled her sore legs over the mattress, yawning and straining to read the clock - 3:07 a.m.

Before her friend flew out the front door, Claire could only notice the way Jill's eyes widened, the way her eyebrows raised, the way her lips opened in a frightening combination of a pout and disgusted retching. She knew all too well - the devastated look one gets just before starting to cry.

Claire opened her mouth to speak just as a piercing, bleating moan bellowed from outside. Her eyebrows flew up in confusion, then in her mind's eye she saw the childlike, sensitive eyes of her favorite cow.

'Cows should not make that noise,' she thought in pure panic, her hairs standing on end. Her nightgown had tangled itself between her legs over the course of the night, but she simply balled it up in her fist and sprinted out the door as fast as her pale bare legs could carry her. The hard, cold ground thumped bluntly against her heels, and even the black early-morning sky seemed to be rudely awakened from its sleep.

It smelled like something was burning.

She saw Jill standing just yards from the barn, where a large ring of fire blazed its way through the old rooftop. Dancing orange flames grew higher and higher, and it seemed that planks were about to give way and fall through. Their cows and sheep were terrified, and the frantic sounds of stamping hooves could be heard.

The combination of smoke and despair stung Claire's eyes until tears welled up. Desperately she took one split-second's glance at her friend. This couldn't be happening. Jill would know exactly what to say, what to do, and how to fix this in the fastest way possible. Jill was strong in body and mind. Jill was mature and only knew how to react like a responsible adult. Jill…

Jill let out a high pitched sob, her twitching fingers grasping at her hair, as she sunk down to her knees. Her shoulders shook and her face contorted in an expression of helpless misery. Claire thought she could see a reflective shine of the fire in her friend's stream of tears.

At that instant, Claire felt her instincts buckle down. She dashed to the horse stable, where Jill's horse Sephiroth was bucking with fright. She let him burst free from the stable, grabbing a blanket and a bucket, whatever she could find. Could she hurl a bucket full of water onto the roof of a barn? She had to at least try.

"Hey!" a familiar male voice yelled to her. The doors to the barn swung open and there was Jack, his overalls stained. He squinted and coughed, pulling with all his might on a rope, slowly forcing the animals to evacuate safely. "I'm not sure what happened, but I think they're gonna be okay!"

"Oh, Jack!" she cried, at loss for any other words. The entire estate seemed to spin all around her. The barn was on fire, the fence was broken, the crop fields charred. The cute, rustic farm she and Jill had come to that summer was now a foreign inferno, a catastrophic waste all in seconds.

"Takakura's already gone to get some help," Jack called to her, chasing the cows and sheep into a distant part of the farm that had remained unexplored.

"Oh my GOD!"

Claire spun around and saw that the villagers had already come running up to the property. She saw Muffy in hair curlers and a sheer pink bathrobe, her hands clamped over her mouth; she saw Gustafa in a curious pajama set and matching sleeping cap; she saw Ruby's gleaming tears of sympathy.

"Okay, watch out! Coming through, get out of the way! MOVE, retard!" Nami screamed, pushing forward past the villagers with a green hose coiled around her arm. "This is the best I can do for now," she said, attaching it to the side of the house. "You guys just stay back and make sure nobody gets hurt. Marlin?" she called over her shoulder.

Marlin came up on her heels, his hair tossed about. He had managed to throw on a windbreaker jacket and still get his boots on over a pair of casual flannel pajama pants. Claire beamed at him and Nami in admiration.

"Jack, we need to get all the animals the hell out of here," Marlin enunciated fiercely, his hand gestures violently sincere. "I contacted the vet in Mineral Town and we need to get them evaluated for damage from smoke inhalation."

Marlin's eyes met Claire's, dark and honest. Even in the worst possible hour he was still extremely handsome. "As for the barn," he said softly, "usually they can't be saved in time. The Mayor will be riding out soon with the nearest fire department, but… the best we can do is get everyone out unharmed." He touched her shoulder sympathetically, and Claire responded with an understanding nod. Then Marlin knelt to help Jill off the ground, offering her his jacket and bringing her beyond the gate.

The two girls gathered with the villagers at the gate, numb with shock and disbelief. The townspeople smothered them with blankets and words of sorrow.

"Please, stay at the Inn with me tonight, free of charge," offered Ruby.

"There's plenty of room at the mansion," Lumina piped up.

"You can stay with us too," Griffin stated.

"First things first," Grant spoke up. "Is everyone here, and safe? We should take accountability here. Who's missing?"

"… Romana, Rock, and Patrick and Kassey," Jack reported, shooting Claire an angry glance that could only suggest,_ suspects_.

"Let's just all calm the hell down," he continued. "Claire and Jill will probably be up all morning answering questions when the fire department gets here. If you're not here to help, then go home and go back to bed."

"Here you go," he said to Claire, holding the cat and the dog under each of his arms.

Moon squirmed in Claire's arms, panting and smiling excitedly, his stubby tail wagging.

"I wish I could be happy all the time like you," she told him, sighing as she wiped away tears with the back of her hand.


	32. Running Away

Winter 10th

6:03 a.m.

The Inn

The large red digits of the alarm clock just inches from her face burned into Claire's eyes, 6:03. She stared at it in the pitch blackness of her room at the Inn, the comforter pulled up to her nose and earlobes as she lay on her side, motionless and traumatized. How she was expected to get any sleep at all was beyond her imagination, but somehow, by now Jill had passed out seated at the coffee table against the wall, a few cigarette stubs pressed into the ashtray. Her friend's face was still haggard and tear-streaked.

Claire hated everything in her life right now, from the striped wallpaper surrounding her to the capricious whim that brought her to this village in the first place. The hazing had gone far enough; what happened that morning outside on the hammock was as dirty as the blonde had imagined it could ever get. The animals didn't deserve to be victimized. It couldn't be more painfully clear that someone didn't want her and Jill to live here. At this point, Claire didn't even care to figure out how she could have offended someone that badly.

'_This is a jacked-up place with jacked-up people in it,_' she thought to herself, still seething with rage. And though she loved Jill as one of the most amazing friends she'd ever met, nothing had been fair to either of them since their arrival. They found themselves in dysfunctional relationships with boys they barely knew, they changed their lifestyle completely, and they made enormous sacrifices, all for the sake of Jill's "project".

The only person that had meant anything to them and made this life bearable was Jack. Jack, who was away with Takakura relocating the animals. Jack, who hadn't brought the girls' drama upon himself in any way. Jack, who didn't need her.

'_I've been a burden to everyone without any real need, especially my own damn self._'

Peeling back the covers slowly, Claire got onto her toes and silently swept her hands over her rumpled overalls, eyeing the clasped suitcase she'd left in the corner, pre-packed for the little vacation they had originally planned for today.

She wasn't going to take this anymore.

Kneeling before the nightstand, she bit her lip focusing on sliding the drawer open soundlessly, then reached in and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.

'_One for Jill and one for Takakura. I'm so sorry, you guys. I need some time to figure all this out.'_

Messages written and her feet in her shoes, Claire took a deep breath and rotated the door handle. She went over everything just one more time in her mind: Ruby would house and feed Jill, the cat and dog were safe in the kennels downstairs, Jack and Takakura have the animals, and Marlin….

Then she clenched her fists. Why was she thinking about Marlin?

"Bye for now," she whispered in sorrow, trying to avoid looking at Jill's innocent sleeping face.


	33. Silver Lining

Winter 10th

9:06 a.m.

A path in the woods

"I didn't even think about bringing food. I decided to walk all the way out here without getting any sleep beforehand. By now the whole town knows I'm gone, and I need new shoes," Claire ranted out loud, her face pointed down, kicking the same rock for the past mile or so. She didn't even know how long ago daylight came around, nor what time it was now. But her driving force was still anger.

She envisioned Jill returning to the farm sometime later, her heart broken and her dreams crushed. Claire kicked the rock harder and it went skipping several paces ahead. Claire thought of Lumina's snobby attitude and Marlin's aloof behavior, and kicked it farther down the path. Also she remembered Nami, and Muffy, and everyone else whose paths she had crossed, and lost her shoe this time trying to kick the very same stone.

"Aw, _shit._" Icy wind bit at her arms and her face like paper cuts, then she found her shoe just before reaching the first bend in the road that she had seen for some forty-five minutes. Eventually she'd be home. Then this would be far behind her -- for now.

"What brings you all the way out here?"

The hairs stood stiffly on the back of Claire's neck. The blonde jolted upright, then swiveled her body around in all directions in search for the familiar, youthful male voice.

Slim, slender, and annoyingly handsome, a boy with stylish silvery hair sat perfectly cradled in the roots of a large bare tree located on a grassy knoll lined with frost. His legs were outstretched and crossed comfortably, his head rested against the tree trunk. As he casually chewed on a steamed bun, he peered at her curiously through a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses.

"Not you again. Why me, why my life, and why YOU? What the hell gives?!" Claire moaned upon recognition of the thief. Dazedly, she lay her palm across her forehead dramatically, wishing like hell that she could have at least changed into unwrinkled clothes and brushed her hair this morning.

"Phantom Skye at your service," he said smoothly, inching his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose, winking at her deviously. In this harsh winter chill Claire could even detect a hint of hot, fresh meaty sauce on his breath. He was eating a pork-filled bun, most likely from her hometown just up ahead. The smell made her salivary glands burst.

"I have nothing for you. I'm serious. I'm just on my way home," Claire informed him, clutching tightly on the handle of her suitcase. "If you don't mind, I'd really just like to get away from that hell-hole."

Skye looked confused. "Why? What happened? I thought you were happy out there with your cute little farm and your cute little animals and your cute little… uh… friend."

"She's _just a friend_!" Claire burst irritably, feeling her cheeks flush bright red. "How many times do I have to freaking say it? Are you gonna throw things at me too, or find something else of mine to burn to the ground? Or are you going to look for another guy I might like and tell _him_ that I'm… you know…."

As Skye's eyes widened in shock, Claire was flashed with a blinding aquamarine. His eyebrows shot up in dismay and he brought a hand to his hip, removing his sunglasses and tucking them into a pocket of his fancy black leather jacket, tapered to fit his slightly-feminine figure.

"I'm really sorry that things aren't going well," he half-whispered. "I was totally just teasing you. You gonna be okay? Wanna sit down and talk about it, kitten?"

"Talking is _not_ going to help," Claire replied stiffly. "And as you can see I have nothing on me that you'll want to steal."

"You look pretty hungry. Want a pork bun?"

"Was it stolen?" she asked him with narrowed eyes. "I may be a little down on my luck, but I'm not stooping _that_ low."

"What if I'm giving it to a friend who looks like she could use it? Then it's not so bad, huh? I'm not totally heartless." Skye returned to his comfortable spot beneath the tree and tossed Claire a steaming, heavy mound of dough wrapped in paper. The girl's fingertips trembled as she held it, waiting to savor the gooey sauce and tender pork oozing with flavor inside.

"Well, thanks, I guess."

"So are you leaving the town for good?"

"I don't know. I want to. But if I do that, that means _they_ win."

"But you're gonna have to come back and visit me sometime," Skye said playfully with another wink. "Or let me drop by your farm."

"You just don't know when to quit. I don't have anything for you to steal."

"Just your heart, darling."

Claire rolled her eyes but tried not to laugh. He was just about the last person she would ever expect to see, and somehow she found herself here sharing a snack with him, just having lighthearted conversation, no hostility whatsoever. Which, she realized, was all she really wanted from anyone in that village anyway.

"Seriously though. Everyone in that town thinks you're really cute. Don't let other people's rumors and jealousy get you down. You find your own way to strike back and stand up above them." Skye put his sunglasses back on his delicate face, a silver bracelet on his wrist catching the sunlight and sparkling into Claire's eyes.

"Thanks. I guess I'll see you around," Claire muttered, picking up her suitcase and continuing on down the path, wondering why she found their conversation that uplifting. If only it was really that simple. It would make perfect sense, if people or the animals hadn't gotten hurt. And if there weren't any goddesses or witches involved, playing with the villagers like pawns. Things in that village were horribly wrong, just not normal at all.

Which was why, she concluded, she'd have to go back and set things right somehow. Maybe she could end the war between the Harvest Goddess and the Witch Princess. Maybe she could start anew and work hard to reconcile with those that had misjudged and scorned her, and make friends. Maybe she could adapt to the farming business, and once the estate was restored she could start bringing in huge profits, and be able to pay for the rest of her college education. But how?

'_It's not my problem right now,_' she told herself. '_I have to sit this out for at least a few days.'_


	34. Home

**Author's Note: Claire's back! But I still have lots of work ahead of me. I still haven't fully decided which bachelor will have her heart! Originally some months ago I began this chapter with a few dream sequences, one ClairexMarlin and another ClairexJack, but decided they'd just be distracting and confusing. I do fully intend to complete this story if none other on FF. Life gets in the way and this will take time, but my heart is in it. I promise you.**

**Also - I took some liberties and twisted a character or two around, like Natsume did with the character relations when "Back to Nature" came out. The fisherman Greg, as we saw in the beginning, is Claire's uncle. Sasha is her mother. Her brother is Mark (Island of Happiness).**

**

* * *

**

Something smelled like brown sugar, and by this time, Claire's mouth was nearly filled with a pool of saliva. Whatever was cooking, there were raisins, too.

She lifted her head from the pillow and realized at long last where she was. Her hair was standing up on one side and her nightgown was tangled. A flowered wallpaper pattern surrounded her, reminding her of peppermint candy stripes. After all this time, she knew to look for the blue heart-shaped clock on the right wall. It read 10:12 a.m.

It was Winter 11th, and she was miles away, in Flower Bud Village.

She was home. This was her room.

And she had been having the craziest dreams about people she would never have had anything to do with, if she'd never left this town.

Only one thing was more crushing than the headache she got from sleeping too much. And that was remembering. The hazing, the drama, the broken relationships, and the fire. The supernatural creatures that seemed more like hallucinations now that she was so far away. The stupid farm that brought her there in the first place.

A suitcase lay strewn on the mint-green, freshly-vacuumed carpet. Winter garments were scattered about, and they still smelled of the farm. But her thick, soft canopy bed was here, and it had a mattress that contoured to every curve of her body. And here were her stuffed animals, her closet full of feminine clothes, her dresser and mirror. Last but not least, a picture of her and her brother, framed and glossy on the nightstand.

That's right. Last night she had come home to her gushing, affectionate mother.

"Mommy…."

"Claire! You're home! And you're freezing! Come in and have some pie…." Tears clung to the corners of her mother's eyes, and Claire could see traces of her own smile. Petite and meticulous, Sasha was a perfect reminder of the charming, dream-like life Claire had had when she was home.

She also served as a glimpse of the future. Sasha had her golden-blond hair pulled into an elegant bun at all times, her makeup was modest and complemented her flawless complexion, and she strolled about their home in dresses suitably styled for her age group, but with her waist cinched. An exemplary picture of mature, adult femininity.

While the youth tied her fuzzy pink robe, she smiled for what felt like the first time in ages. Her mother just knew what she needed, always - and this morning, it was a glorious breakfast of steaming brown-sugar oatmeal, lightly sprinkled with raisins.

'_Today_', she resolved, '_I am not going to think about problems._'

* * *

"Is the snow piling up badly on your farm, too?" Sasha asked her, gingerly stirring spoonfuls of sugar into her tea. Her rose-dusted fingernails contrasted with the white doilies on the dining table, and she blinked patiently as the cute cat clock ticked on, its tail swinging to mark off the seconds.

Claire used her napkin to dab at the corner of her mouth, out of which oatmeal had begun leaking generously. The sky was furiously dark today, and the snow pelted down forcefully like bullets. This all still felt quite surreal - Mother's heavenly face, the smells of a warm kitchen, the clean comfort of real furniture on a soft carpeted floor.

"Mm-hmm," she replied hastily with her mouth full.

"It must be very hard."

"Mm-hmm."

"The college has been closed down nearly all winter so far. But before that it's been just as quiet as before you left on your sabbatical. I'm sure you've learned a whole lot with your practical experience, probably more than you would from books in school."

Claire could feel her face gradually coloring pink. She was trying so hard to forget all about that failed experiment. Nobody wanted her there, and she wished she'd never gone there.

"It's cool," she said, choking back her anxiety.

Sasha leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands, tilting her head slightly so as to study her daughter's eyes.

"Did something bad happen, baby? I mean besides the fire."

"It's just been a little rough," she replied with a hollowness in her voice. "Not used to farming. Y'know."

"You know you're welcome to stay as long as you want. There's a card on the counter over there from your father. For your birthday."

"Oh! That's nice."

"And your brother's missed you so."

"How _is _Mark?" Claire inquired, using her tongue to pick at a raisin lodged in her teeth.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon. He's helping with the shoveling outside. He's been working very hard, you know. Earning lots of extra cash to save for school. He's even got a little girlfriend now, and he adores her so much…. I'll see if he'll bring her by for dinner while you're staying."

"Sounds good."

"I'm so happy you're home…." Sasha sighed contentedly, her worries well-disguised as she took her empty teacup and saucer to the sink.


	35. Family

Winter 11th  
Flower Bud Village  
5:30 p.m.

There had been a brief mention of the fire back at the Valley in the local newspaper, but Claire promptly took out the whole page and tossed it into the garbage. She'd barely read it, just skimmed until she was satisfied knowing the situation was fully under control, and the damage was apparently minimal.

Jack and Jill would be missing the horse race, what with the animals all at the nearest veterinarian and boarding shelter. But that, as Claire saw it, would lessen the busy activities on the farm. They were both older and more responsible. They'd keep warm, and fed. If anything, maybe they'd have a mature discussion about the past and work on even just a normal platonic relationship.

Everything worked out perfectly, she concluded. No more bothersome Claire. For now.

They'd just have to understand.

For hours she'd been sitting on the cushy living room couch, watching TV in her pink bathrobe and pretending not to feel any guilt. It was even harder trying to find a program that wouldn't remind her of all these failures in her life over these rough seasons. So in between the happy children's cartoons, she found herself staring out the window, watching the fenced-in backyard succumb to the mercy of the relentless blizzard outside.

She was torn all day between her desire to be left alone, and her craving for commiserating company. Her mother chose the former, and remained busy about the house.

Her birthday card, backdated from the summer, had a check inside but was promptly stuffed under a sofa cushion. Sighing, she couldn't think of any other way to use it but to buy nice gifts for her friends on the farm. A scarf that could give Jill a nice girly accent, a sweater to bring out Jack's broad, manly shoulders. And she just wasn't ready to face going back yet.

There came a loud _click_ from the front door, and in stepped a tall, lanky figure in a knit cap and a thick quilted coat, massive gloves and a pair of construction workers' boots that already began forming a puddle on the inside doormat. The figure shook off huge clumps of snow, then peeled off the gloves, and finally lifted away the hat.

"_Mark!_" Claire exclaimed, her face lifting in a smile that ached. She hadn't smiled in what felt like decades.

"Holy cow! Claire?" shouted her brother warmly. His blond hair remained flattened from the cap, but his ivy-green eyes were as full of mirth as ever. They reminded her of a kinder springtime, and Mother's garden.

"You got tall!"

"And you got… _tired_," he stated with a concerned expression. "Let me take all this off before I go over and give you a hug."

Mark was sixteen now, and his voice was rich. No longer a plump boy, he had an attractive masculine frame and was beginning to fill into it with muscle. Claire could see that Mother had adorned him with a chic sweater she'd made herself, form-flattering with shades of green to match his eyes.

"Honey, if you leave the shovel out here, you'll have to look for it later under the snow!" rang out a light, cheery feminine voice.

'_Honey?'_ Claire leaned over the arm of the couch to see who remained beyond the open door.

"Oops. Sorry dear," Mark said with a chuckle. He swung the door open a little wider to reveal a girl wearing matching winter gear, all tones of majestic purple. Shining locks of reddish-brown hair framed her cherubish face, and her eyes were a darker blue than the deepest parts of the ocean's surface. For a girl of about his age, she was petite but not any smaller than Claire.

"Claire, this is Chelsea. Chelsea, my sister Claire," he introduced them, stripping off a pair of baggy athletic pants to reveal what seemed to be very expensive jeans. With that, he padded across the living room in striped socks and into the kitchen.

"It's nice to meet you," Chelsea said sweetly, while self-consciously preening her hair.

"Likewise!" Claire said. "Do you go to Mark's school?"

"Yes."

Mark stood in front of the open refrigerator, swigging away at a carton of milk. "She'll be staying for dinner, maybe overnight if the weather gets too bad."

Claire suddenly felt ashamed of being seen in her bathrobe, reaching for the nearest blanket. "Do you live far away?"

Chelsea nodded sadly. "Yeah. First it was the school that closed, then the stores, and now there's an advisory warning in effect. It's only maybe three miles to my house, but my dad won't want me risking it."

"Claire! I have to show you what I've got in my room," Mark declared proudly, coming back across the way to grab Chelsea's hand and beckon his sister down the hall. "You're really going to like this."

Mark's room also underwent a transformation in Claire's absence. Although it wouldn't seem like a sixteen-year-old's room would be any different from that of a fifteen-year-old, there were now additional bookshelves installed complete with numerous volumes. Framed family photos sat atop his personal TV, but now there was a particularly pretty high-school photo of Chelsea, posing in an old-fashioned matching ensemble: flowered hat, dress, and gloves.

Where there used to be piles of intermingled clean and dirty laundry, there was now a low table supporting two large multi-level cages. Ramps and panels were arranged meticulously and thoughtfully, to make loving homes for two adorable adult ferrets.

"You have ferrets!" Claire shrieked joyously. "How'd you come about this?"

"It was our idea for a project for class," Mark explained, his arm curled lovingly around Chelsea's shoulders. "The dark one is a boy and the multicolored one is a girl. We're going to try to breed them. The second cage is for the boy when the girl becomes Mama Ferret."

"Can I hold one?"

"Sure!"

Claire beamed as she stroked the soft, shining fur of the female, who was curling up comfortably in her arm while sniffing her frantically. Then she began licking Claire's fingers. Claire began to feel her unhappiness melting away like snow on the carpet, but inevitably her thoughts wandered back to her cow, her sheep, the chickens, and the horse that Jill loved so much.

* * *

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You know how you said we could talk if I needed to?"

Claire softly bit her tongue in careful concentration as she pasted on more peppermint discs into the icing, a butter knife held between her fingers lest she make another mistake on the roof of her gingerbread house. Sasha was already far ahead of her, sprinkling sugar crystals on hers for a glittering effect. Depending on how devastating this storm could potentially be, Claire worried that her mother might not be able to sell these masterpieces at the festival this year.

"Of course, honey! No need to even ask. In fact sometimes I wish you'd come home to talk sooner," Sasha reassured her, though her eyes were still on her seasonal edible art.

Claire wiped a smear of green frosting from her fingertips, then nervously twisted her napkin.

"Well, this is something that's really difficult to talk about. In fact, you probably won't believe me."

Sasha's eyebrows shot up quizzically. "I don't know, honey. I've heard some pretty strange things in my life. You can try me."

"Well… okay. Mom? …. What would you do if there was a magical creature who told you that you had to marry someone in order to break a curse and stop people from suffering?"

"That depends. Is he handsome?" Her mother's lips curled upwards in an amused smirk, then she began humming a light, cheerful tune.

"Actually yes, but that's not the point-"

"So he's handsome. Will you be happy together?"

Claire bit her lip. "Um… probably. I never really thought about it too much before. Let's say he's a great guy, probably one of your best friends ever, and he's smart and has big dreams and knows exactly how to make you smile. But your friendship is perfect and he's also dated your best friend before, and that'd be ugly, so you just don't wanna go there."

Sasha fought back a chuckle. "So a young man has proposed to you, but you're afraid of breaking your friendship with his former girlfriend?"

"No, not like that. I knew this situation was too crazy to believe. Maybe I'm just tired."

"No, no, wait," Sasha said calmly. Then she wiped her hands across her apron, studied her gingerbread house for a moment, then looked to the ceiling and sighed deeply. Her eyes were misty, and she became disturbingly pensive, almost melancholy.

"I think… you should follow your heart," she continued. "Believe it or not, I've been in that same situation."

Claire's eyes widened. "You _have_?"

"What do you think happened between me and your father, sweetie? When we met I had small goals. I thought I might only go so far as owning a little shop one day. Your father had big dreams of venturing out to make nature movies and write camping books. He loved the outdoors more than anything. He and I were young and fell in love. Then it turned out that the life I wanted as a mother at home just wasn't compatible with the lifestyle he wanted for himself. I guess he eventually found a woman who wanted what he wanted, and that's that. But I never regretted you or Mark, the best gifts he had ever given me."

"That's sweet, Mom."

"But now it sounds like you've had a predestined betrothal made in the sky."

"It's not quite that romantic, Mom," Claire said with a chuckle. "I mean, imagine if there was a fairy or a goddess, or even a witch, pressuring you to break a curse-"

"You know, your father used to tell me a story or two about an imp he said he met in a pond," Sasha interrupted her, completely unfazed. "It sounds crazy, and I never saw it for myself, but inspiration is inspiration, whether mystical beings are real or just part of a dream. Besides, this one that's sending you messages has already done the hard part. She's set up a life with Prince Charming _for _you."

"I guess I never even thought of it that way."

"Follow your heart," Sasha emphasized with a warm smile. "I did. And in the end, it worked out for the best. I'm not telling you to say yes, but just what your heart wants. Nothing means more to me than the happiness of my children, no matter what they choose to do. You know yourself and you know what makes you happy, better than anyone else does."

Claire sighed in relief, tears coming forth into the corners of her eyes. "You're the best, Mom."

"Anytime, honey. Try to go easy on the pastel colors if you must use them; I'm saving them for the cookies for the Spring festival."


	36. Dream Sequence

"_Remember that blizzard we had awhile back?" Claire asked, holding the curtain back in a dainty fashion as she watched snowflakes gracefully fluttering by._

"_You mean the one you spent at home?" Jill replied, but not without a bit of clanging and banging coming from the kitchen. Claire saw her yank out the drawer with a loud thud, then wince as a few utensils and tools crash to the floor in cacophonous discord. "Oops."_

"_Oh, was it that year?"_

"… _Yeah. It was."_

"_Well," Claire muttered, ashamed, "things are different now…."_

"_Thank goodness," Jill stated, a modest flush coloring in her face. Slowly her lips lifted into a smile. Today they were meticulously glossed with a new hue - Cashmere Rose? As she cast her gaze down onto the counter, concentrated fully on her project, Claire noticed that the tender silhouette of her face was more curvaceous, somehow. Jill had very pronounced cheekbones that betrayed her slightly masculine attitudes._

"_I didn't think you were actually coming back then," she added softly._

"_I could never leave you behind." Claire fingered the viburnum flowers in the rustic-style earthenware vase, tracing the petals that puckered like spring lilies. She knew that after they were done blossoming, viburnum became a precious fruit that looked like cherry candies when ripened, perfect to enjoy when the timing was absolutely right. Much like their relationship._

"_What are you making?" she asked Jill, coming up behind her to rest her head and her hands on the taller girl's shoulders, white flowers in grasp._

"_A chocolate cake," Jill said, turning to gaze at her. The brunette's long lashes were quite charming, her shoulders slender, her body heat comforting even from beneath her soft turtleneck sweater. "Is that flower for me? How sweet."_

"_Is that cake for me? That's sweeter."_

"_No, silly," Jill said, taking Claire's hand in her own. "Jack's birthday is soon."_

"_Aww."_

"_If you can buy a birthday gift in time for the party, then I'll make something special just for you."_

"_You mean it?"_

"_Yeah." Jill's eyes glittered happily._

"_Well, then for now I wanna help," Claire stated, reaching over Jill's shoulder and fumbling for an egg beater._

"_Claire, wait! You'll knock over- Awwwwwww." _

_A bowl of clumped cake mixture had tipped slightly onto its side, the chocolate goo molding a little around Jill's hand._

_Jill sighed. "Goodness gracious." Then, giggling, she dipped her finger in the crude batter and painted a stripe on the blonde's cheek._

"_I'm sorry," Claire apologized playfully, sporting the cutest child face she could manage. Then she lifted Jill's hand, pressed her lips and tongue against it to remove the cake mix. Sweet and wholesome._

"_I know. Don't worry." Shyly, the older girl leaned in and kissed her cheek, licking a bit of chocolate from her face as well._

_Their eyes met, as if the clouds and the sea reflected one another in perfect clarity. Jill's face sustained its flustered blush. It would still take time to get completely used to it, but maybe, just this once, they could try it and see that this was the natural way things ought to be._

_She surrendered herself to their kiss, slowly but with sincerity, and in it Claire could feel Jill's nervous excitement. _

"_Well, I suppose I should be off now, before Jack comes in and suspects something's up," Claire said, after just that one tender second. Wouldn't want to ruin it when it had barely just started._

"_What?" Jill said, startled and blinking in confusion._

"_About his birthday. We don't want him to know, remember?"_

"_Ah, right. Be careful on your way."_

"_Always."_

_Claire's shoes crunched into the snow outside the front door. It sounded like a soft melody. For a moment she spun around in a circle, her blond hair flowing around her shoulders. Sighing contentedly, she swung her arms while she marched across the estate, helplessly unable to concentrate on buying their friend's present. She missed her already._


End file.
